Except for the 2019-20 NBA season, LeBron James’ Lakers tenure has been his worst year in the league since his first few years. He might not let you know his distaste for it with his happy-go-lucky aura that he is constantly trying to maintain, but he is sick of it.
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That’s the reason why he had those indirect shots at the Lakers’ upper management when they were unable to find a good deal for Russell Westbrook. And since the trade happened at the deadline, he is visibly as happy as you might have ever seen him be.
Now, having a more than decent squad to compete, if it does not translate to a championship, or falls anywhere short of the Finals, he will surely consider it a failure. But, ESPN’s veteran analyst has another concern.
Stephen A. Smith believes it’ll be a stain on LeBron James if he misses the Playoffs again
In a recent segment of the First Take, sitting beside former Clippers’ sharpshooter JJ Redick, Stephen A. Smith said it’ll be an embarrassment if playing for the Lakers and not their across-the-hall rivals, James fails to make the Playoffs yet again.
It’s a stain to some degree if LeBRON misses the playoffs again. pic.twitter.com/ILsBqGjz0V
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) February 21, 2023
To be fair, the man is speaking facts. The Purple and Gold now have some of the best players in the league at all positions with the addition of D’Angelo Russell and Malik Beasley at #1 and #2.
James perhaps has no different views than Smith. Don’t be surprised if you see either him or AD if the Lakers get an early exit in the Playoffs, forget not qualifying.
How good are the new-look Lakers to compete in the West?
With James, Jared Vanderbilt, and Anthony Davis playing in the front court, and the two guards who are good at shooting backing them, there are hardly any teams that will like their chances against them in a 7-game series, on paper.
However, we know how fragile the Lakers’ relationship is with injuries and with the consistency in the will to win. Let’s see if they can stay focused enough to finish as the top-6 teams in the West.
They would not want to be in Play-in situations with the teams like the New Orleans Pelicans, the OKC Thunder, and not for sure against the Warriors (given they stay where they are currently).
