As soon as a few weeks from now, LeBron James will make a decision in free agency that will likely dictate how his storied career will wrap up. The Los Angeles Lakers still seem to be the likeliest option for him, but there is a real chance he returns to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Golden State Warriors now seem to be a realistic option for him as well.
If James is to stay with the Lakers for a ninth season with them, they won’t have an easy time retaining enough of their other free agents while also improving their overall roster, even though they could have as much as roughly $50 million of salary cap space. With James, they could end up having a team that is about as good as the one they had this season — one that is very good, but not a championship contender.
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Charles Barkley of “Inside the NBA” said on ESPN’s “Get Up” that it wouldn’t make sense for James to remain with L.A. if James is serious about winning another championship.
“It doesn’t do him [LeBron] any good staying in L.A.,” said Barkley. “Number one, they’re not going to be competitive in the West. And also, it’s time for the Lakers to turn the team over to Luka [Doncic]. LeBron’s not going to play better as he gets older. The Lakers got swept. Even if they had Luka, they’re not a contender in the West. They’re not going to compete with the [San Antonio] Spurs. They’re not gonna compete with OKC or the Minnesota Timberwolves with a 42-year-old guy. They’re not going to be competitive. So, if he stays in L.A., he’s doing it for off-court reasons.”
The Lakers went 53-29 during this regular season, despite significant injuries to James, Doncic and Austin Reaves. With Doncic out due to a hamstring strain, they upset the Houston Rockets in the first round of the NBA playoffs before getting swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals.
James continued to play at a very high level by averaging 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists a game during the regular season and putting up 23.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists a game in the postseason. He throttled back to being the team’s third scoring option, and it is something that should conserve his energy should he continue to play in such a role.
But the Lakers lack speed, athleticism, perimeter defense, 3-point shooting and a robust center rotation. If James doesn’t take a significant pay cut to stay put, it will be next-to-impossible to address enough of those needs this offseason.
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This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Charles Barkley: Lakers won’t be competitive if they keep LeBron James
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
