Kobe Bryant is correct, LeBron James and Magic Johnson are wrong to point fingers at head coach Luke Walton for the Los Angeles Lakers being on the verge of missing playoffs.
Magic Johnson brought LeBron James to the Los Angeles Lakers to take the burden off of his shoulders. LeBron didn’t even want to have a press conference welcoming him to Los Angeles, which set the tone for the season.
LeBron, with the weight of success transferred to his shoulders, has to point a finger somewhere.
It was forecasted by many fans on social media that Magic would allow LeBron to run the team and that would be a challenge for the head coach, who was doing a great job developing his young team last season.
A team that had chemistry and truly had fun playing the game of basketball. The Lakers front office tempered fans expectations, not even bringing up making the playoffs. But then LeBron asked for more talent, according to Ramona Shelburne,
More from Lakers News
- Darvin Ham adds to Max Christie hype train after Lakers preseason opener
- Is LeBron James playing tonight? Latest Lakers vs Warriors update
- Can Darvin Ham put all of the Lakers puzzle pieces together?
- Lakers news: Darvin Ham knows his fifth starter, LeBron James and Rui Hachimura, Jalen Hood-Schifino praise
- Michael Malone’s painfully ironic comment has Lakers fans heated
"He [James] talked with Johnson about finding playmakers and guys known for their toughness, which effectively resulted in a roster lacking in shooting and floor spacing. The Lakers went out and got players who fit that description — who were willing to play on one-year deals."
Of course, there were expectations to make the playoffs, Lakers fans always dream big.
They are used to having Kobe Bryant as their star and you knew you were getting a devoted leader that took responsibility, that wanted Lakers fans to love him because he loved them. That’s what Lakers fans are used to.
This season was going to either end up good or disappointing. And if disappointing, the blame game would begin.
There was a chance that this experiment may go well, but that LeBron had to buy into developing the young players and learn from Luke how the Golden State Warriors win Championship after Championship.
When the Lakers did not make the playoffs, it was predictable than LeBron would need to start to point fingers, and usually, his main target is the coach. He drove his Cavs head coach, Tyronn Lue, to take leave due to stress when things weren’t going well in Cleveland.
Los Angeles Lakers: How Luke Walton and LeBron James can coexist
Los Angeles Lakers head coach Luke Walton wants and needs to continue to be a players coach, he was mentored by the best, LeBron James willing.
One thing that is undeniable is that Luke Walton had this team humming and they were on their way to the playoffs at the end of 2018. Then came the onslaught of injuries.
Rajon Rondo injured his finger, LeBron missed 18 games due to a groin injury and Lonzo Ball is still sitting on the bench in street clothes. Once LeBron suffered an injury, any coach would have been challenged. When the emphasis and strategy are based on a star and the star can’t play, that’s a huge dilemma. LeBron comes back but then makes a huge mistake at the All-Star break.
LeBron, it was assumed, was pushing for his agents’ new client Anthony Davis to come to Los Angeles. There were many rumors that almost the entire young squad we came to adore was going to New Orléans for one guy. All was lost at that point. Had the front office lost their damn minds?
The Lakers got rid of Michael Beasley, and that was another big mistake. Most fans don’t get how important he was on defense and he also brought game-changing energy to the team.
Trading away big man Ivica Zubac was another stumble. The Lakers spent so much time developing him and just when he proves his worth it, they trade him, and the Lakers are suffering from a lack of big men.
Now, the heat is on. Since LeBron came to Los Angeles, he’s launched a new career that comes with distractions, distractions Kobe Bryant would have never entertained. Bryant focused on basketball, basketball, basketball. He waited until after he retired to start his entertainment career.
Not Bron Bron. He has multiple entertainment production companies including SpringHill Entertainment (The Wall, Rise Up, etc.) and Uninterrupted (a YouTube Channel with Time Warner and 30 shows.) He also has his show The Shop on HBO and his Warner Bros deal with SpringHill Entertainment to start filming the sequel to Micheal Jordan’s Space Jam this year.
It’s hard not to agree with Kobe here. In this interview with Frank Buckley, Kobe speaks about focus and how the injury-plagued Lakers losing is not Luke Walton’s fault.
Okay so LeBron is distracted, he was willing to trade almost the entire team for Anthony Davis, then has Davis on his The Shop show to explain how he was wronged.
He then comes back from injury but starts blaming his teammates for losses when he clearly missed shots and didn’t play enough defense to win games, and now it’s all Luke Walton’s fault?!?!?
Who is the coach here? That’s right, LeBron, and we all know it. So, the finger will probably be pointed a the coach when it should be pointed in the mirror with James looks at it. That’s how much this stinks, the Lakers are falling apart because of their star, period!