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The Decision – Part 3 was one of the most anticipated moves this offseason. While Philly was one of the top destinations, there weren't a lot of teams in series contention but there was always the home team - the Cleveland Cavaliers. In the end, the decision was made quickly and devoid of any drama as LeBron James signed a 4 year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers.
President of Basketball Operations for the Lakers - Magic Johnson had assured him of their commitment, thus giving the team enough flexibility to make good trade moves either in this year or the next free agency year. Los Angeles with its history and pedigree was an easy decision for James with multiple factors concerning his family.
Here are 5 reasons the King and the Lakers will not miss the Playoffs in 2019:
#1 The King has never missed the Playoffs
The King has never missed the playoffs in his 15-year reign, barring his rookie & sophomore season with Cleveland, both by whiskers though. After having dominated the Eastern Conference for the past 15 years, and personally been responsible for dismantling various teams like the Toronto Raptors, Atlanta Hawks and Indiana Pacers each year.
LeBron has now moved to the West and all eyes will be on him to take the young, raw and underperforming Lakers to the next level. The best players showcase their talent at the highest levels and LeBron has made it a habit of dominating the playoffs his past 15 seasons.
#2 Age? What age?
LeBron has aged like good Californian wine and he is coming off, perhaps questionably his best season statistically ever. Playing full 82 games and not missing a single game for rest or injury or even scheduling woes, LeBron has once again proved that he is in the most commanding phase of his life, averaging his best PPG since 2009 and career-highs in rebounds.
He looks like he is in his early years and if last season's heroics and pyro techniques are any indications, there will be a lot to cheer for the Lakers, who have not much to cheer for since Kobe Bryant's retirement.
#3 LeBron strengthens the team's strengths
Lakers were 11th in the western conference last season with an offensive rating of 11th out of 30 teams and 7th in Assists per game. Expect LeBron, with his tendency to score and also assist, to make an immediate impact in those two departments alone, automatically improving the performance of the Lakers.
Although in the past 5 – 7 years, LeBron has surrounded himself with shooters like Ray Allen, Mike Miller, and Korver etc. This Lakers team is differently skilled - it’s a mix of young athletic slashers, playmakers and also versatile defenders. With the influx of battle-hardened, playoff players like Rajon Rondo, Lance Stephenson and Michael Beasley; they also immediately get tougher and experience in the locker room and on the court.
#4 Team Composition
After taking a motley mix of Gibson, Gooden, Hughes and Brown to the NBA Finals, LeBron has repeatedly shown his ability to integrate and take teams forward quickly. Without LeBron, the Cavs were not even in contention for the playoffs but with LeBron they all of sudden made the finals 4 years in a row.
Known for his intelligence, the rumors of him being the De Facto GM never seem to leave LeBron and while some of the criticism is unwarranted, when the team makes it 2 – 3 games and a couple of injuries away from winning it all, should one really complain?
When Kyrie Irving left for reasons of being his own man, this was the first time one got an idea of the pressure and stress of playing with and under LeBron’s shadow. While the jury is still out for the decision Kyrie made, the situation for LeBron could not have turned better, from ego battles to the hungry awestruck youth of Kuzma, Ball, Hart and Ingram are the perfect students for LeBron to take under his tutelage to mentor and bring back ShowTime to the Staples Center.
#5 Nothing to lose and everything to prove
Irrespective of which camp you are in, for the first time in his career, probably in the last decade, no one is really expecting LeBron to reach the playoffs, Finals or even make a serious run in the business end of the season.
The perennial all-star has been at peak performance level this past season and his PER ratings, while they have always been in the Top 10 over the course of his career, this past regular season and playoffs he has surprised even his fiercest critics and haters. It’s no secret now that this decision was made much earlier and Magic and LeBron have something deeper and meaningful planned for the revival of the Lakers.
With mural defacing and towering shadows of Kareem, Magic, Shaq and Kobe, any success will cement LeBron’s legacy on NBA’s Mt Rushmore. While a failure will not make as much as a dent on his legacy after he achieved the impossible odds in 2016, either way, it’s a tailor-made situation for the king to reclaim his title of the greatest player in the world and taking these young Lakers to a new era of SHOWTIME.
