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With the Los Angeles Lakers’ magical carpet ride ending with a sweep, is it time for the King to end his reign and call it a career? In a season where the Lakers dug their way out of the grave through a series of trades that resuscitated their fortunes, LeBron James and the Lakers not only made the playoffs via the backdoor but surprisingly also showed the door to some early favorites.
Soundly beating the second-seed Memphis Grizzlies in five games and abruptly ending the reign of the defending champions Golden State Warriors, the Lakers put up a hell of a fight against top-seed Denver Nuggets on Monday.
Although the series ended in a sweep for the Nuggets, many have considered it a tightly contested matchup that could have gone either way.
The Lakers had their chances in the clutch in practically all four games, but Nicola Jokic and Jamal Murray proved to be tough nuts to crack, even with a lineup that has James and Anthony Davis, among others.
Should LeBron James go back strong next season and take another chance at the title? Or should the King just retire and save his legacy?
Here are the five reasons why James should consider the latter:
#1 Super teams just won’t cut it anymore
If James plays out his remaining contract years, the Lakers must surround him with superstars to remain significant. Technically, the Lakers were considered a “super team” on paper in the last two seasons with the acquisition of former MVP Russell Westbrook. Even with a formidable lineup consisting of James, Davis, and Westbrook, the Lakers failed to even make it to the playoffs last season. And this year, it took the midseason departure of Westbrook and other pieces to turn the season around for Los Angeles.
Keeping the core of this year’s Lakers will not get the job done for them next season. Even if LeBron decides to hang on, unless they add a few pieces that will complement James and Davis, they will not have a shot at the title.
But with an NBA trend that no longer rewards teams putting together three superstars with an instant championship, as evident with Brooklyn, Phoenix, and even the Lakers, Los Angeles may opt for a long-term plan. And even if it will be a bitter pill to swallow, LeBron James may no longer be a part of it.
#2 It’s a pity seeing LeBron playing for other reasons than winning
Before the surprising run in the playoffs, the Lakers were just relegated to a team that have LeBron James, and their only objective seemed going for the all-time scoring leader. However, in an unexpected plot twist, the Lakers found themselves fighting for a spot in the NBA finals after big wins against Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors. That was until Jokic and Denver Nuggets gave them a rude awakening in the conference finals.
There were reports last year that James will spend his last season with the team that draft his son. He wants to go for a shot at history by becoming the first father-and-son duo to play in the NBA. In addition, there are speculations that LeBron will still play for two or three more years to further pad his lead in the all-time scoring list. Those reasons are far from being kingly as far as the King is concerned. LeBron James must not go for anything less than winning all the marbles for his team.
#3 Concede to “Father time” before he gets a TKO
Although LeBron James was able to lead Los Angeles Lakers to a respectable finish in the playoffs, his performance was one of the worst ever in his career.
One of the most telling pieces of evidence was in their series against the Nuggets, where in his six drives to the basket, LeBron missed three, including a potential equalizer in the clutch. He mishandled and slipped the ball twice, one of which was when he tried going for his signature windmill dunk in a breakaway. And in a rare occurrence when it easily would have been an easy basket, his shot was blocked instead. What made it appalling was that those forgettable shots all happened in one game.
It looks like father time is already creeping in on LeBron. Surrendering to it will not make LeBron less than his all-time great status at all.
#4 Going for top of the mountain may make him slide to 3rd
There’s that never-ending talk about who’s really the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time) in basketball. LeBron has been locking horns with Michael Jordan in those conversations through the years. And there are not a few who consider James as a close second to Jordan and that he is just a title away from overtaking him.
Since LeBron is definitely not a shoo-in for the title next season, another unproductive year will probably hurt his chances even more. As evident in his below-par performance not just in their match-up against Denver but in the entire playoffs in general, we may have seen James' best years as an NBA player.
#5 Save his legacy
We have been used to seeing LeBron James in all his greatness through the years. It will be almost unbearable to see an average LeBron still playing against those whom he used to dominate.
The King has already done more than enough to be mentioned in the same breath as all-time greats like Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Wilt Chamberlain, among others.LeBron James must not ruin his great legacy by still playing through his waning years.
