Over the summer break, LeBron James was one of the biggest stories. There were assumptions that the King was unhappy with the Lakers, with certain reports linking him to a reunion with the Cleveland Cavaliers or a move to teams like the New York Knicks. But, well, Bron remains where he’s spent the last seven years of his life. And Robert Horry is hardly surprised.
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There were plenty of theories about why James chose to stay put. Some felt he was focused on chasing another ring, recognizing that Luka Doncic’s arrival, along with reinforcements like Marcus Smart and DeAndre Ayton, gave the Lakers a real shot at contention.
Horry, however, never bought the tale of Bron wanting to leave in the first place. The seven-time NBA champion discussed this topic on Big Shot Bob, reminding listeners and viewers that, financially, no one in the NBA could afford to have Bron on their roster. Plus, there’s another reason why Horry thinks James would never leave Los Angeles.
“I think sometimes you forget how much money LeBron makes. You can’t just say, ‘Alright, LeBron, we gonna ship you off.’ Nobody can afford him,” stated Horry.
The former San Antonio Spurs star was not wrong. But if there was a team, like say the Knicks, who are right on the brink of winning it all, they might dish up the dough. That said, Horry’s biggest theory as to why LeBron won’t leave Los Angeles is that his family is enjoying the City of Angels way too much.
“I don’t think he’s going anywhere just because his daughter is doing well here. His wife’s doing good here. He’s really close to his other son, who is going to Arizona. He’s playing with Bronny.”
“It’s too many factors for him, knowing the family man that he is, that he’s gonna say, ‘Alright, I’m gonna go to New York because they got a chance to win the East.’ I don’t think he’s going anywhere.”
Furthermore, Horry pitched that if James did indeed go to another team, he would only be hurting his legacy.
“If LeBron moves again, that is too many teams for him in his legacy. You think about Dirk, you think about Tim, you think about Kobe. These are legendary players who kind of stayed with one team for a certain amount of time. I just don’t think he’s gonna wanna move again. I just don’t see it.”
“I think he has more in him,” added Horry later in the chat. The panel joked that LeBron might also be waiting for his son, Bryce, to join the NBA so he could play with both of his sons. While it might seem like a long shot, who’s to say it couldn’t happen?
When all is said and done, Horry’s probably right. LeBron isn’t leaving Los Angeles. His family is rooted there, the Lakers can still contend, and moving again would only complicate his already complex image. He’s already delivered for every franchise he’s played for, so why risk that now? If he’s chasing ring number five, there’s no better place to do it than in Los Angeles.
