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The LA Lakers' season came to a disappointing end on Wednesday when they went down against a clinical Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of the Round 1 playoff series. This comes as the third time LeBron James has faced elimination at the Round 1 stage with the Lakers, an unlikable stat that he never had to endure with any of his previous franchises. As the Lakers have been dumped out, many fans are dreading that the world of Basketball has seen the last of LeBron James. What has elevated the concerns is that LeBron himself has stated that he is not sure whether he will return next season or not. ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith paid heed to the subject and expressed his opinion on the same.
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Stephen A. Smith on LeBron James' Future
While he has achieved everything that there was to achieve in his illustrious career, LeBron James is too big a name to not end on a high. Hence, both Stephen A. Smith and Jay Williams are confident that the 4-time MVP will resume his duties in Purple and Gold next season.
However, Smith also voiced his concerns with the Lakers squad and heavily doubts that the current squad can go on to win the championship, especially after what they displayed in the playoff against T-Wolves.
“Here’s where it gets interesting,” Smith began. “There is nothing that the Lakers showed us in this series… There is nothing based on our conversations about Luka Doncic… In acknowledging the assets or lack thereof that the Lakers have available to them to improve their roster… for us to believe there’s a championship in the Lakers equation anytime soon.”
With that in mind, Stephen A. believes LeBron has to ask himself, considering everything he’s already accomplished in the league, how much more he can take. “How much longer are you willing to stick around just to play knowing your behind is going home early?” he asked the four-time champion.
The Lakers possess exceptional firepower, but the team's supporting cast hasn't contributed to a level which is expected from them. The frailties present in the squad forced JJ Redick to make his starters do the heavy lifting, which also displayed he is not confident with the quality on the bench. The Lakers front office would have to come up with a solution and curb all the weaknesses ahead of the next season. Howbeit, if they continue with the same side next season then LeBron James could contemplate whether it is truly worth it or not.
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