The Los Angeles Lakers will quickly miss LeBron James as they still don’t have a starting power forward to replace him, but the feeling won’t be mutual. At this stage in the offseason, the purple and gold aren’t finding someone who can even come close to matching LeBron’s production. They will be lucky to land Jonathan Kuminga at this point.
LeBron was forced to be the third option behind Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves last season, which played a role in the split. It became clear that King James wasn’t even the number two behind Luka. He wanted an opportunity to have the ball in his hands more and stay in a starring role. LeBron found it in Philly and was willing to take the minimum to leave the Lakers.
King James won’t be missing his former team, but they will quickly miss him. He got easy buckets with his basketball IQ, helped the Lakers be better than the sum of their parts on defense, and could still turn back the clock on occasion. Los Angeles will miss all of that, even if he doesn’t miss the Lakers.
Lakers will quickly miss LeBron James
Even at 41 years old, LeBron averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in 33.2 minutes per game. He shot 51.5 percent from the field, and his presence alone makes a massive impact.
The Lakers didn’t add a 20-point scorer to replace him or find a player who can dish out seven dimes per game. They will miss that all-in-one production from one of the all-time greats.
King James decided to move on before the Lakers even made an offer. Nobody knows how much they were saving for LeBron, but it was the role change the superstar desired. He wants to play on the ball more and get back to what he does best.
The Lakers couldn’t offer that. Luka is arguably the best creator in the world, and LA wants Austin Reaves to grow into his long-term co-star. That couldn’t happen with LeBron eating up the second-most touches.
LeBron surprisingly left his son to join the 76ers. The pressure is on Bronny James to prove he belongs on the Lakers without his famous father. Many thought he would try to bring his son to his new home, but that doesn’t appear to be the case.
LeBron may miss playing with his son, but he clearly wanted to move on from the Lakers. He left his home in LA, money, and the team he was on for eight years to join the Sixers. King James knew it was time, and fans know he rarely looks back.
The Los Angeles Lakers will miss LeBron James a lot more than he misses the franchise. He would be the perfect power forward to round out their current roster, especially on a minimum contract. Sadly, LeBron moved on, and the Lakers must too.
No matter how much they miss him, this is Luka Doncic’s team now. They will go as far as their superstar takes them, and fans should be excited. It is okay to miss LeBron, but the future is bright for the purple and gold.
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