Lakers: Why LeBron James can still win the 2022-23 MVP award

There is no doubt that Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James is one of, if not the, greatest basketball players ever to walk the planet. However, people still doubt the king and his ability to play basketball at a high level.

Though he is 37 years old and there is a slew of MVP candidates who seemingly have better odds than LeBron, the four-time MVP can still win the award.

Why LeBron James can win the MVP award next season:

LeBron James had a fantastic individual season averaging 30.3 PPG, 8.2 RPG, and 6.2 APG. James’s 30.3 PPG ranked 2nd in the league. James had 34 games where he scored 30 or more points. Proving he can still dominate opposing defenses. James even looked better in some facets of the game than in his younger days.

James had the stats to be in MVP conversations, but two things really held him back. Team success and games played. This season for the Lakers was horrendous despite James playing fantastic. The team had a record of 33-49 on the season. In games that James didn’t play, the team was 8-18. The team’s record with James was 25-31 which while not great, is still a huge improvement from without him.

One of the main reasons for the Lakers’ struggles last season was the overall health of the team. Superstar forward Anthony Davis was riddled with injuries the entire season, coming in and out of the lineup and only playing 40 games. This really took a toll on the team’s chemistry and overall play. The team lacked that big interior force that Davis provides.

On top of this, James himself struggled with injuries of his own. James struggled with injuries the entire season, only playing 56 games and even playing through these injuries some of the time. The team’s injuries were so bad they had 41 different starting lineups. This offseason will give the players time to rest and hopefully be healthy for the upcoming season.

The team will also be in a much better place to win ball games with newly acquired head coach Darvin Ham. The team will also look to do some much-needed retooling and acquire some new players that will fit better. This, of course, will lead to more wins.

James still has all the talent in the world. The team just needs to put better pieces around him so they can actually win some games. On top of this, one can hope for fewer injuries this season so the team can get a real connection on the court.