LeBron James Believed To Still Want To Finish Career With Lakers

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LeBron James Believed To Still Want To Finish Career With Lakers 

Post#1 » by RealGM Wiretap » Wed Jan 11, 2023 4:34 pm

The future of LeBron James with the Los Angeles Lakers has come under question based on their ability to build a roster around him and Anthony Davis that is capable of being a title contender. The Lakers have been reluctant to part with their two tradeable future first round picks unless it is a move that makes a dramatic difference.


Despite whatever frustrations James may have currently, he is not believed to have interest in leaving the Lakers this offseason. James signed a two-year extension with the Lakers this past offseason, which made him ineligible to be traded during the 22-23 season.


"I last checked in on this last week and I don't even remember what LeBron's comments were last week," said Zach Lowe. "They've since been superseded by more recent comments. Oh, they were to you when you asked the question at the press conference it was about how the 'Losing is not in my DNA. I don't want to end my career... blah, blah blah, like this.'


"I just keep hearing despite this rush of 'What could the Lakers get if they traded LeBron? How much of a flight risk is he?'


"I keep hearing he wants to stay with the Lakers. He wants to finish his career with the Lakers. His comments though should be interpreted as his patience is not infinite and if this is just a continued morass of losing, maybe that changes. But if you force me to bet, I'd still bet on him finishing his career with the Lakers. And I'd feel pretty confident in that."


Dave McMenamin detailed that James can opt out in 2024, which could allow him to sign a new deal for more guaranteed years, or he can also play with his son Bronny James. Bronny becomes draft eligible in 2024 and LeBron could choose to play on his son's team if he enters the NBA that year.  

Via Zach Lowe, Dave McMenamin/ESPN

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Re: LeBron James Believed To Still Want To Finish Career With Lakers 

Post#2 » by alienpick » Wed Jan 11, 2023 5:46 pm

If Brony signs elsewhere, he's not retiring as a Laker.
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Re: LeBron James Believed To Still Want To Finish Career With Lakers 

Post#3 » by nedleeds » Wed Jan 11, 2023 6:22 pm

Can we please get a few more of these, what LeBron texted his agency on the toilet this morning news wire entries a day?
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Re: LeBron James Believed To Still Want To Finish Career With Lakers 

Post#4 » by Pickled Prunes » Wed Jan 11, 2023 7:07 pm

alienpick wrote:If Brony signs elsewhere, he's not retiring as a Laker.

IDK... would you want to play on Lebron's team if Lebron was your dad? I think Brony might nix that plan. Clearly the Ball kids got the message through to LaVar to fade into the background. My guess is that by the time Brony is drafted (if he is drafted) he will be old enough to want to step out of that shadow. Something he will likely never fully accomplish.
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Re: LeBron James Believed To Still Want To Finish Career With Lakers 

Post#5 » by The Laker Kid » Wed Jan 11, 2023 7:19 pm

Man what a bummer. Oh well, rain's gone. Heading out to the beach
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Re: LeBron James Believed To Still Want To Finish Career With Lakers 

Post#6 » by YourGM99 » Wed Jan 11, 2023 8:42 pm

It is believed that Lebron James only wants to eat tacos on Tuesdays.
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Re: LeBron James Believed To Still Want To Finish Career With Lakers 

Post#7 » by moocow007 » Wed Jan 11, 2023 9:21 pm

Trade him to the Knicks for the package they were discussing to ship to Utah for Donovan Mitchell? Lebron gets to be added to the existing Knicks starting 5, Lakers rebuild with a boatload of draft picks and some solid young players.
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Re: LeBron James Believed To Still Want To Finish Career With Lakers 

Post#8 » by HiRez » Wed Jan 11, 2023 9:26 pm

Translation: "I'll jump at the first chance I get to be on a team with a realistic chance at a championship."
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Re: LeBron James Believed To Still Want To Finish Career With Lakers 

Post#9 » by hyberx » Wed Jan 11, 2023 10:43 pm

Pickled Prunes wrote:
alienpick wrote:If Brony signs elsewhere, he's not retiring as a Laker.

IDK... would you want to play on Lebron's team if Lebron was your dad? I think Brony might nix that plan. Clearly the Ball kids got the message through to LaVar to fade into the background. My guess is that by the time Brony is drafted (if he is drafted) he will be old enough to want to step out of that shadow. Something he will likely never fully accomplish.


Just looked up Bronny's number. It says "Overall recruiting rankings: Rivals: 61 247Sports: 45 ESPN: 34". Does that look like a player who gets to nix that plan? Don't really know, just asking really. It doesn't even look like someone who belongs to the league if his last name is not James and his first name is not actually Lebron too.

Funny enough: "Bronny James has worn the number 0 jersey because it is the number worn by his favorite NBA player, Russell Westbrook. Entering eighth grade, he switched to a number 23 jersey in honor of his father." :lol: Must be a fun time visiting his favorite player whom his dad is trying so hard to get rid of now.
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Re: LeBron James Believed To Still Want To Finish Career With Lakers 

Post#10 » by alienpick » Wed Jan 11, 2023 10:59 pm

Pickled Prunes wrote:
alienpick wrote:If Brony signs elsewhere, he's not retiring as a Laker.

IDK... would you want to play on Lebron's team if Lebron was your dad? I think Brony might nix that plan. Clearly the Ball kids got the message through to LaVar to fade into the background. My guess is that by the time Brony is drafted (if he is drafted) he will be old enough to want to step out of that shadow. Something he will likely never fully accomplish.


Thing is.. it's a once in a lifetime chance to play with your Hall of Fame dad, and it's only going to be for a year or maybe two. I think you take that small window of time and do it. It will be record setting, and huge for them as a family. I think under normal circumstances, a kid would try and nix it.. but not in this case.
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Re: LeBron James Believed To Still Want To Finish Career With Lakers 

Post#11 » by Pickled Prunes » Wed Jan 11, 2023 11:22 pm

alienpick wrote:
Pickled Prunes wrote:
alienpick wrote:If Brony signs elsewhere, he's not retiring as a Laker.

IDK... would you want to play on Lebron's team if Lebron was your dad? I think Brony might nix that plan. Clearly the Ball kids got the message through to LaVar to fade into the background. My guess is that by the time Brony is drafted (if he is drafted) he will be old enough to want to step out of that shadow. Something he will likely never fully accomplish.


Thing is.. it's a once in a lifetime chance to play with your Hall of Fame dad, and it's only going to be for a year or maybe two. I think you take that small window of time and do it. It will be record setting, and huge for them as a family. I think under normal circumstances, a kid would try and nix it.. but not in this case.
hyberx wrote:
Pickled Prunes wrote:
alienpick wrote:If Brony signs elsewhere, he's not retiring as a Laker.

IDK... would you want to play on Lebron's team if Lebron was your dad? I think Brony might nix that plan. Clearly the Ball kids got the message through to LaVar to fade into the background. My guess is that by the time Brony is drafted (if he is drafted) he will be old enough to want to step out of that shadow. Something he will likely never fully accomplish.


Just looked up Bronny's number. It says "Overall recruiting rankings: Rivals: 61 247Sports: 45 ESPN: 34". Does that look like a player who gets to nix that plan? Don't really know, just asking really. It doesn't even look like someone who belongs to the league if his last name is not James and his first name is not actually Lebron too.

Funny enough: "Bronny James has worn the number 0 jersey because it is the number worn by his favorite NBA player, Russell Westbrook. Entering eighth grade, he switched to a number 23 jersey in honor of his father." :lol: Must be a fun time visiting his favorite player whom his dad is trying so hard to get rid of now.

Brony will likely go in the 2nd round to a team that is hoping Lebron will follow him. Does Lebron want to finish his career in MIN, WAS, or whatever other treadmill team wants to bring him in for a punchers chance? I don't see Lebron wanting to do it unless they had a legit shot at winning.

More importantly, Brony is unlikely to be much more than a journeyman in the NBA. How are teammates going to feel when Brony is getting minutes they don't think he's earned due to pressure from Lebron? How is Brony going to be himself when he's hanging out with his dad and his dad's friends? How soon do we feel awkward calling a grown man "Brony"? Naw, I can't see that being a good scenario for anyone.

A better scenario is a Christmas day match-up... which will almost certainly happen.
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Re: LeBron James Believed To Still Want To Finish Career With Lakers 

Post#12 » by MegaK » Thu Jan 12, 2023 2:19 am

Yo everyone knows Bronnie and LeBron going to the Knicks bro !
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Re: LeBron James Believed To Still Want To Finish Career With Lakers 

Post#13 » by Boston2AZ » Thu Jan 12, 2023 3:32 am

Seriously, who cares?
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Re: LeBron James Believed To Still Want To Finish Career With Lakers 

Post#14 » by Taget » Thu Jan 12, 2023 7:29 am

Breaking news. Nothing happened. More details tomorrow. Then the next day And then day after that and day after that.
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Re: LeBron James Believed To Still Want To Finish Career With Lakers 

Post#15 » by Johnny Bball » Thu Jan 12, 2023 2:46 pm

When his kid doesn't get drafted, he will go somewhere like OKC/SAS that has a ton of picks he can make them leverage for help. But he's not finishing in LA, that I'm sure of.

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