From his high school days, LeBron James has been the main guy. He was the first pick of the 2003 Draft and the top option on all three NBA teams he has represented. But at 40 years old, it may be time for him to gradually step aside to give the spotlight to someone else.
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With Luka Doncic’s arrival at the Los Angeles Lakers, James is now shifting into a second-option role. That is uncharted territory for him.
Charles Barkley spoke about James’ current situation in the latest episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast. The Round Mound of Rebounds, like the host, has never gotten along too well with James, even though they both acknowledge his greatness. However, they managed to put bias aside and discussed what’s next for the four-time NBA champ.
Simmons said that James finds himself in a ‘weird situation’ heading into the 2025-26 season, with the Lakers clearly positioning Doncic as the new face of the franchise. It’s a sentiment echoed by many in recent weeks. That’s probably why Barkley, never one to mince words, urged The King to hand over the keys to his kingdom.
“It’s time to move on, brother!” Barkley said, before noting that a change of the guard has always been part of the story in historic franchises.
“Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar]. Hey, Bill. See, this is the problem. Kareem did it with Magic [Johnson]. Tim Duncan did it with Tony Parker, [Manu] Ginobili, and Kawhi Leonard. You have to, Bill!” Chuck said passionately. “The baton has to be passed from everybody. It’s passed from everybody. The Lakers have been irrelevant. The Bubble was the last time they’ve been relevant.”
Of course, Doncic’s arrival made the Lakers stronger than they were before the trade. But it still wasn’t enough to get them past the Minnesota Timberwolves, who defeated them in just five games in the playoffs. Barkley argued that despite the star power, the Lakers remain a tier below the best teams in the West — Oklahoma City, Denver, and Houston.
The 76ers legend added that other Hall of Famers have been helped late in their careers by younger superstars. He cited the examples of Abdul-Jabbar and Tim Duncan. “It should make it easier. Magic and James Worthy were probably responsible for the last two championships,” said Chuck.
“And for Tim Duncan, who’s the greatest power forward ever, I think Parker, Ginobili, and Kawhi Leonard were responsible for the last two championships,” argued Barkley. “He still gets the championship ring! If the Lakers win the championship, and Luka gets Finals MVP, LeBron still gets the championship ring!”
Both Barkley and Simmons made valid points, but from James’ perspective, any championship without a Finals MVP would almost certainly be used against him in the GOAT debate. Jordan went six-for-six on both championships and Finals MVPs. Kobe Bryant, despite being universally revered, still has his lack of Finals MVPs brought up, as does Steph Curry.
Right now, nobody knows exactly what James is thinking. But he understands what it will take to win another ring. If he chooses to play second fiddle to Luka, it could benefit both him and the Lakers, and #5 might still be within reach if everything falls into place.
