LeBron James is not going to retire this offseason. The 38-year-old Laker confirmed this whereas accepting an award on the ESPYs on July 12. Comments made after the Lakers’ Western Conference Finals exit led many to consider that LeBron was at the least contemplating retirement. “I don’t care how many more points I score or what I can or cannot do on the floor,” James stated. “The real question for me is: Can I play without cheating this game? The day I can’t give everything on the floor is the day I’ll be done. Lucky for you guys, that day is not today.”
“Tonight, I want to use this moment to just say something that I’ve said a million times and I will never get sick of talking about it: I love this game. I love the game of basketball,” James stated. “There’s a video going around right now on the internet of me coaching Bryce’s team last weekend, and it’s actually pretty funny. I saw a lot of posts with people talking about, ‘LeBron brings the energy to a high school AAU game the same way he would do to a Finals game.’ And to me, that’s the ultimate compliment. In my 20 years playing this game and all the years before, I’ve never, ever cheated the game, and I will never take it for granted.”
LeBron Back, But Lakers Future Uncertain
The affirmation of LeBron’s return will likely be a sigh of reduction to the LA Lakers. Darvin Ham‘s group has invested lots of assets right into a “championship or bust” roster led by LeBron and Anthony Davis. The group has signed Gabe Vincent, Jaxson Heyes, Taurean Prince, and Cam Reddish this offseason. Furthermore, they retained Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura. However, 2024 is perhaps their final likelihood to win with LeBron.
The consensus opinion amongst pundits is that LeBron will doubtless push for a commerce subsequent offseason to affix his son Bronny on no matter group drafts him. It’s unlikely that the Lakers may have the possibility to seize him. If they choose too excessive within the first spherical, the Pelicans will doubtless use their choice to take the choose for themselves. However, too low a choose within the first and it’s unlikely that Bronny would nonetheless be on the board. Essentially, the Lakers must goal for a first-round playoff exit or low lottery end to accumulate Bronny. The eldest James little one is getting ready to play at the least one season of faculty basketball for the USC Trojans.
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