The marriage between LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers has always been an uneasy one. That’s not to say it hasn’t been successful, because after all, he did help deliver the franchise its 17th NBA title back in 2020. Through his eight years in L.A., though, it’s never felt like the Lakers fanbase has truly accepted him as one of their own.
Advertisement
LeBron is 41, and by this point in his career, he’s been around the block. He’s done two tours in Cleveland, spending a total of 11 seasons there. He famously took his talents to South Beach and played four years for the Heat. When most players join a new team in their 16th year, that’s usually the final move before their imminent retirement, but LeBron is just built different.
Nobody quite knows what LeBron will do next year. Some believe he’ll retire with nothing left to prove. Others think he’ll chase one more ring, though whether that happens in L.A. or somewhere else is anybody’s guess. A return to the Cavs makes sense for a host of reasons.
On the newest episode of Byron Scott’s Fast Break, the titular host and his friend and frequent guest Olden Polynice discussed LeBron’s career, his future, and his status as a Laker. Though both effusively praised his game and the unmatched longevity of his brilliance, they both agreed that when it comes to the purple and gold, he doesn’t stand in the same way with some of the greats who came before him.
“He’s not a true Laker,” Polynice whispered conspiratorially after cohost Jay Wagers wondered allowed why LeBron wouldn’t want to retire a Laker. Scott agreed, saying, “I think that’s part of it, and I think the fact that, like you said, you got so many great players who have retired a Laker. I think LeBron kinda likes going off-script.”
Scott thinks LeBron will end up back in Cleveland, returning just as he did after his time with the Heat. “I don’t think he owes it to the city,” he said.
“But I think the city would really really love him even moreso and respect the fact that he came back home for his final season, to retire a Cleveland Cavalier. I think that would be fitting,” he proclaimed.
The question is, what exactly is a “true Laker?” Scott and Polynice agreed that it’s someone who either spent their entire careers in L.A., like Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Magic Johnson, James Worthy or Kobe Bryant, or someone who played for one other team, then came to the Lakers, achieved greatness, and retired with the team. That list includes guys like Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
The Lakers are LeBron’s third team (fourth if you count the two separate stops in Cleveland), and he’s more well known for what he’s done in Cleveland and Miami than for his exploits in L.A. That’s why he’s never been embraced the same way someone like Kobe was.
On the surface, saying that LeBron isn’t a true Laker seems like an inflammatory kind of statement, but it actually led to a nuanced and intelligent conversation. Any fan of the Lakers or the NBA should check it out the whole episode.
