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The NBA community is stuck in a guessing game regarding where LeBron James will end his career. However, Jalen Rose thinks it is best for James to ride it out with the LA Lakers.
James only has one year left on his contract with the Lakers, after which he will become an unrestricted free agent. With that in mind, the Lakers will be looking to put together a team that can contend for a title before James' contract expires.
The four-time NBA champ has made it abundantly clear that he would like to play with his son, Bronny, in the NBA. He said it will not be about the money then, as he is willing to join any team that signs Bronny.
On "Jalen & Jacoby," David Jacoby asked if the results of the upcoming season should determine James’ continued stay with the Lakers. Rose, however, thinks it will better serve LBJ's legacy to stay with the Lakers regardless of their success or failure. Rose said:
"LeBron, other than playing with his son Bronny, where he put it out there, that would be a terrific opportunity. Who would turn that down? But otherwise, I think it's best for his legacy, in particular, for him to ride it out good, bad, or indifferent with the Lakers."
The question of whether he should join a team that is seemingly championship contenders was raised, and Rose opposed that viewpoint. He does not think LBJ should join a team where he would not lead the way to a championship, saying:
"I expect him to feel like they got me. 'People wanna come play with me and us. We'll figure a way to get into the playoffs, and once I get us into the playoffs and AD's healthy, we feel like we got two of the best players on the floor in any series.'
"That's how he has to go into the season. That's gonna be his attitude cause LeBron was killing last year."
The Lakers have not had any success in the playoffs in the last couple of years. In 2021, they were eliminated by the Phoenix Suns in the first round, and they failed to make the playoffs in 2022.
LeBron James is entering his 20th season
"King James" is entering his 20th season, and still looks like he could play for longer. He is on course to become the all-time leading scorer, as he is only 1,325 points behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
James had an outstanding campaign last season and was close to winning the scoring title. If he pulled it off, the 37-year-old would have been the oldest player in league history to win a scoring title.
While he has not played the most seasons in league history, that is another record he could break. Vince Carter currently holds the title after playing 22 seasons before retiring.
No one has played at such a high level this late in their career, which is why James may stay active until he is 40. On an episode of "The Shop," he expressed his desire to always stay as close to the game as possible, even after retirement.
It will be interesting to see how LeBron James performs in the upcoming season. Although he is not the defensive stopper he once was, he still has the hops on the offensive end.
