Los Angeles Lakers legend LeBron James is going strong in his 21 season with the NBA. Out of his first 49 games during the ongoing season, James has managed to average over 24.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 7.8 assists. His stance in leading the Lakers through game after game has instilled confidence in his fans. It has also, however, cast doubt on what future would the team hold if the legend was to not be present during the next season.
Prominent sports anchor Stephen A Smith, a staunch supporter of Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan, brought the same doubt forward during his latest segment.
Stephen A Smith questions LeBron James on protecting his team’s legacy
A few hours ago, Stephen A Smith published another episode on his official YouTube channel. During the same, he took a moment to discuss a topic he has titled ‘LeBron’s Last Stand’.
Smith opined that the Los Angeles Lakers may not possess the same winning momentum for the upcoming seasons as they do for the current one. By combining the skilled prowess of Anthony Davis, LeBron James, D’Angelo Russell, and Rui Hachimura during this ongoing season, Smith believes that the Lakers may have a chance to “nullify the run” set by the Los Angeles Clippers. For James, however, this might be his last chance to ensure that the Lakers do so.
“This is it for LeBron James,” said Smith. “This is it, this is his last stand.”
After highlighting the fact that James has reportedly made it clear that he is not looking to join any other team in the next season, the ESPN host took it upon himself to ask what contribution will the 39-year-old make to ensure that the Lakers legacy does not fall short.
“What you going to do to derail the Clippers, what you going to do to keep up?” said Smith. “What you going to do to make sure that you ain’t the worst team in California behind the Clippers, behind the Golden State Warriors, behind the Sacramento Kings?”
Stephen A Smith does not know the answer to that question. However, it is the host’s hope that the truth will be revealed soon enough.
What will be the Lakers chances after LeBron’s exit?
During his six seasons with the Los Angles Lakers, LeBron James has only managed to clinch one championship title to his team’s name. Despite high expectations during the current season, the team managed to reach the Western Conference Finals but bounced off against the Denver Nuggets.
Even through LeBron James may be the most popular player in the team, he is not alone in making a worthwhile contribution to it’s scoring effort. As stated by Stephen A Smith, players like Anthony Davis, D’Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura are doing their part in keeping up the name of the Lakers. The long-term effect of losing LeBron James may not be known for a longer period of time. For the short term, however, fans can be confident that their beloved team is in safe hands with the other players, whether they bring home a championship title or not.
USA Today via Reuters
What are your thoughts on Stephen A Smith’s question? Let us know in the comments down below.
