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LeBron James has lately been the subject of numerous trade rumors, which claim he'll be leaving the LA Lakers at the end of the season.
NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal believes that if the four-time NBA champion leaves the Purple and Gold, the franchise may never be able to win a championship anytime soon.
O'Neal is a big part of the LA Lakers' history, having won three championships for the franchise during his playing days. The 49-year-old has been very critical of the Lakers' performances this season. When asked about the team's struggles in a recent interview with CNBC, he said:
"If you trade LeBron, you'll never win again, so you have to, you know, make a decision. If you put LeBron around the right guys, he's definitely gonna win, so I think whoever put that team together needs to step up and try and fix it."
LeBron James recently shut down reports of a possible feud between him and the LA Lakers management. However, there is no doubt that he wants the franchise to enforce some big moves to strengthen the team. The Lakers have struggled to find consistency this season, and the media has constantly slammed them for their dismal performances.
Despite their struggles, Shaquille O'Neal believes that the Purple and Gold can still turn things around. The team was booed at the Crypto.com Arena on Sunday for their underwhelming performance against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Explaining how the team can bounce back from all of these setbacks, O'Neal said:
"Maybe you know guys can try to salvage the season by just saying, "Hey, we've got 20 games left, let's just play hard, play hard every game and see where we can take it", but I've been booed before, it's not a good feeling so hopefully they will pick it up."
Can LeBron James help the LA Lakers revive their season?
LeBron James has had one of the best offensive seasons of his career this term. He currently averages 29.0 PPG, which is the most he has ever recorded since the 2009-10 season when he was crowned league MVP.
The King is ranked fourth in terms of efficiency and has stepped up to the occasion whenever the Lakers needed him to. The 37-year-old has averaged 36.7 minutes for the franchise this season. The team has not been able to give him much-needed rest because of their lapses.
Despite his good work, the LA Lakers have failed to deliver results. They have never had a run of five consecutive wins this season, which is a reflection of how inconsistent they have been.
The Lakers are ranked 14th in terms of defensive rating and have given up big leads because of their carelessness in that department.
With just 22 games left in their regular-season campaign, the LA Lakers have no room for error. If they want to make it to the playoffs without going into the play-in tournament, they will have to be at their best. Once they get there, this team will certainly be tough to take on.
LeBron James is one of the best players in the league during the postseason. Along with Anthony Davis, he has already won one championship with the Lakers.
With AD reported to be back by the time the playoffs begin, fans should certainly not count the Purple and Gold out.
