It’s long been assumed LeBron James would see out his career with the Los Angeles Lakers, but after crashing out of the first round of the playoffs for the second straight season, there have been rumors that the 21-time All-Star player might look for pastures anew.
According to The Athletic’s Jovan Buha and Sam Amick, who spoke to sources close to LeBron James and the Lakers, there’s a chance that the power forward might move to a new team to add another championship to his name before retirement.
James delivered a strong individual performance in the first round against the Minnesota Timberwolves, despite the team’s eventual five-game playoff exit.
With an average of 40.8 minutes per game across the series, it was clear by the fourth quarter that James was feeling the weight of those minutes. The 40-year-old often seemed exhausted and lacked his usual spring.
As rumors of an off-season move gained traction in the media, CBS Sports analyst Ashley Nicole Moss shared her thoughts on whether James could secure another championship with the Heat if he were to return.
They’ve (Heat) lost a lot (star players) in the past few years,” Moss said. “Lost a lot of outside shooting. They lost Jimmy Butler. I think it’d be similar to the situation he’s dealing with in LA right now.
“Yeah, you could pair him with a No.2 option. But everything else around him would still need to be functional and reliable. So again, this would be another nostalgic move. I don’t think this would be a certified championship move for LeBron.
James enjoyed great success during his four seasons with the Miami Heat. He won two championships there and reached the NBA Finals every year. Yet, as Moss noted, replicating that success would be difficult now.
