Skip to main content

LeBron is a Laker, now what?

Like a movie with a predictable plot, many of us saw LeBron James signing with the Los Angeles Lakers a mile away.
But the news of "The Decision 3" still had the internet buzzing all Sunday night.

Fast forward to Monday and we've had a day to marinate on what LeBron to L.A. means for his legacy, the Lakers and the rest of the NBA.

Press play in L.A.

Simply adding James to the current Laker roster turns them into an instant playoff team next season. However, its obvious Los Angeles is a long ways away from helping LeBron conquer the West and make his ninth straight NBA Finals appearance.
Like a mega-budget Hollywood movie, the Lakers are going to need at least one more star (preferably two) to legitimately compete for a championship.
And from the looks of it, that next star may have to come in the form of a trade. Paul George's surprising decision to resign with Oklahoma City dashed the Lakers hopes of signing two stars without squandering the core of their roster or draft picks. Now, L.A. will have to pull off a major trade to potentially pick up DeMarcus Cousins and/or Kawhi Leonard. Magic Johnson will have to pull another rabbit out of the hat to keep LeBron happy, unless you believe he came to L.A. to play with Javale McGee, Lance Stephenson and Rajon Rondo.

 From "The Decision" to "For immediate release"

LeBron took plenty of criticism for "taking the easy way out" after joining Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami way back in 2010. It wasn't just that he left Cleveland, but how he did it that angered everyone outside of us good, upstanding citizens of Miami.


Many still haven't let go of forgotten the "Not one, not two, not three" welcome party at the Triple A.
Fast forward eight years later, in many ways his decision to sign with the Lakers yesterday is just the opposite of that.
James leaves the relative ease of the Eastern Conference where he made eight straight NBA Finals appearances, to join a Western Conference anchored by the juggernaut Golden State Warriors and flanked by the Houston Rockets among other tough teams out West.
Even the manner in which he announced his choice, a press release through his sports agency, was more measured and mature than 2010.


Lights, camera, action

The off-court ventures is where the move to Los Angeles makes the most sense for LeBron. With his eyes set on becoming a billionaire and potentially owning an NBA franchise like Michael Jordan, what better place to surround yourself with other rich and famous people than L.A. (sorry New York). James already has a boatload of endorsements along with lifetime deal with Nike in tow. His revenue stream will only widen in California.
Also, in case you haven't noticed LeBron also has a serious interest in movies. He owns his own film production company, loves to watch movies and already has a few dozen credits as an actor and producer. In the coming years don't be surprised to see LeBron show face in a number of big screen projects, maybe even a Space Jam 2.

Kobe or LeBron

This is what I'm going to enjoy watching unfold the most. Die hard Laker and Kobe fans have made a habit of dogging LeBron for years. The LeBron/Kobe debate has fueled countless barbershop debates and filled Facebook comment sections. Now, LeBron and his bandwagon fans are claim the purple and yellow and OG Laker fans can't deal.

LeBron to the Lakers is like a woman discussing with her girls for years how sorry and trash a particular man is and now she's in a relationship with that guy. The friends are stuck between wanting to support their girl and maintaining an inherent hate for the guy.

I can't wait for basketball season. Is it October yet?
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What the D-Rose trade means for the Knicks

Former MVP point guard Derrick Rose is taking his talents to Madison Square Garden. The Chicago Bulls traded Rose to the New York Knicks  in a multiplayer deal Wednesday, according to ESPN. The Knicks, led by team president Phil Jackson hope the trade will make them contenders in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Jackson said earlier this month the Knicks could make the playoffs with a  few tweaks  to the team's triangle offense. New York finished 32-50 last season and missed the playoffs for the third straight year. Rose, 27, will play alongside all-star forward Carmelo Anthony and under new head coach Jeff Hornacek. The trade makes sense for Knicks who desperately needed a point guard and don't have a first round pick in Thursday's NBA Draft. Rose will take scoring and ball-handling responsibilities away from Anthony, who led the team in points (21.8 ppg) and assists (4.2) last season. He will also share the floor with big man Kristaps Porzingis, a 7-...
Post a Comment
Read more

NFL Week One Recap: "Fitzmagic" in Tampa, Deja vu in Philly

The first week of NFL football is in the books and there were plenty of story lines to go around. Here are the top headlines as observed by Pass the Mike Sports. Tampa Bay shocks New Orleans in the Dome: With Jameis Winston out for the first three games it seemed like a foregone conclusion that Tampa Bay would get steamrolled by the Saints in their season opener. However, backup QB Ryan Fitzpatrick had other plans, marching the Bucs offense up and down the field behind 417 yards and four touchdowns in a 48-40 win over Drew Brees and the Saints. Ryan Fitzpatrick Head coach Dirk Koetter said Winston wouldn't be handed the starting job back when he returned and if Fitzpatrick continues to play like he did Sunday, there's no reason for Winston to see the field. But stay humble Bucs fans, there's a reason Fitzpatrick has played for seven different teams in his NFL career and it's usually because defenses figure him out as the season progresses. While you should re...
Post a Comment
Read more

Can the Miami Heat sign Durant and Whiteside?

With the NBA free agency period beginning Friday, it's crunch time for the Miami Heat. Team president Pat Riley and the Heat's front office staff have major questions to answer as they prepare for the 2016-17 season. The biggest question involves its biggest free agent: Hassan Whiteside. The 27-year-old center is an unrestricted free agent which means he's free to sign a deal with any team. Fortunately for him, several teams are prepared to offer top dollar for his services come in the coming days. After earning $981,000 last season, Whiteside will sign a deal shortly that pays him up to $22 million dollars a year. Not bad for a player who once had to beg NBA teams just for a tryout. Now, while that's great news for the Whiteside family, it puts the Heat franchise in a tight spot. The issue for Miami is should they use most of their salary cap space to sign Whiteside, or try their luck at wooing Oklahoma City superstar free agent Kevin Durant. Hassan Whiteside...
Post a Comment
Read more