Despite seven seasons together, LeBron James and the LA Lakers don’t seem to be on the same page. Their grievances surround the franchise’s shift toward building the team around Luka Doncic. NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith doesn’t believe the Lakers are doing anything wrong.
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At the end of the day, the NBA is a business. Money fuels the actions of the majority of NBA owners. Of course, winning is the ultimate goal, which is why teams won’t hesitate to move on to what will give them the best shot at success.
When the Lakers’ general manager, Rob Pelinka, had the opportunity to acquire Doncic, he didn’t think twice. The Slovenian star will serve as the bridge between James and the future of the franchise. The deal provided management reassurance, since uncertainty surrounding LeBron’s future put the Lakers in a tough situation.
The organization is now leaning toward a different direction. LeBron James may feel disrespected, as he was until very recently the face of the franchise, but Smith urges the Lakers star to take a step back and evaluate everything that has led to this point.
“Let’s call it what it is. You won a championship in the bubble. Kyle Kuzma didn’t have to go after that. Alex Caruso didn’t have to go after that. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and others didn’t have to go after that,” Smith proclaimed on Gil’s Arena.
Pelinka and the Lakers inexplicably tore apart the roster that won that championship. The motive wasn’t to cut salary costs but to please LeBron.
“You wanted your boy Russell Westbrook. What did the Lakers do? They gave you your boy. You wanted coaches gone. What did they do? They got rid of them. They abided by your wishes,” Smith said.
It just so happens that James’ track record for requests turned out to hurt the team more than help. Regardless, Stephen A. Smith doesn’t blame LeBron for using his voice for change. As a franchise player, you earn that right. The difference now is that the role of franchise player no longer belongs to James; it’s Doncic.
“At some point in time, it’s somebody else’s turn,” Smith said. “Now it’s Luka’s turn. You could be playing with others, but you’re playing with that brother.”
In terms of talent, Doncic has a good case to be the most talented player James has shared an NBA locker room with. The privilege to play with someone as good as Luka, who hasn’t even reached his prime, isn’t an opportunity many great players like LeBron get to experience.
If LeBron feels a level of disrespect from the Lakers, that emotion can’t be helped. But playing alongside Doncic in his final years could result in some amazing feats between the two stars.
