The Los Angeles Lakers claim they wanted to sign LeBron James to an extension after the season. However, there were mixed messages being sent for the past year. It was unclear if the Lakers were fully committed to keeping him on the roster for the next few years.
Now, James has decided to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers. He signed a two-year deal with the Sixers, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. He has decided that he wants to try to win another championship. However, he had a shocking revelation about the final game that he played with the Lakers.
GettyLos Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James shoots a free throw in a game. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)
LeBron James Revealed he Thought he was Retiring After Final Game with the Lakers
In a social media post, James revealed that he thought he had played his final game in the league after Game 4 against the Thunder.
Had James retired, he would have done so a Laker. It also would have been the most surprising news in the NBA since the Luka Doncic trade. While James’ stats slipped last year in Los Angeles, he still showed that he has a lot left in the tank. He is the perfect third-best player on a title-contending team.
Had he returned to Los Angeles, they might have been able to make it work. If Doncic and Austin Reaves were fully healthy in the playoffs, they would have had a better chance against the Thunder. Still, it did look like the team had fully reached the ceiling as it was currently constructed.
It is good news that James decided to head to the Eastern Conference. He decided not to sign with the Warriors, which would have been bad news for Los Angeles. He might have been able to elevate them into contention to win the Western Conference, and they would have been the best team in California.
GettyLos Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James drives to the basket in a game. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)
Los Angeles can now Fully Move on from LeBron James
Now that James has finally found a team, the Lakers can fully move on from James as a player. They can look forward at the roster that they have currently built and try to win playoff games with Doncic and Reaves leading the team. The Walker Kessler trade was a big swing, too.
James’ time in Los Angeles will be remembered strangely. He helped the team win the 2020 title, but he was never fully embraced by the fans. Fans who love Kobe Bryant never fully embraced James as the superstar of the team. Perhaps they will enjoy the title more fondly now that James has a new team.
Next year, the Lakers have a deep playoff run on their minds. Anything less than that will be a disappointment. They had the sixth-worst offense of any playoff team last year. That was with James as the focal point. Without him, they have to hope that Donic stays healty for a postseason run.
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