As the biggest winners of the offseason, the Lakers have been a big disappointment this season, with several Hall of Fame-level players on their team and are considered the hottest teams in the West. However, after playing 2/3 of the season, the Lakers have a win rate of less than 50%, ranking 9th in the West, 24th in the league in offensive efficiency and 15th in defensive efficiency, making it difficult to associate them with the championship.
To make matters worse, thick eyebrows due to ankle sprains, at least a month to miss, coupled with a difficult schedule, the Lakers will most likely need to compete for playoff places through the playoffs, which is a huge test for a seriously aging team, and a little carelessness may not even make the playoffs.
A team with James, but to worry about playoff tickets, is enough to show how unreasonable the Lakers' current lineup configuration is.
Against this backdrop, James' interview on his future over All-Star Weekend is meaningful. Speaking about whether he will join the Cavaliers for the third time, James said: "This door is not closed, I am not saying that I will come back to play, no one knows what will happen in the future, I don't even know when I will become a free agent. ”
James didn't rule out the possibility of joining the Cavaliers in the future, which could be a one-day contract or a longer one. The Cavaliers are currently in fourth place in the East, Garland and Allen are both young people who have been selected as All-Stars this year, and the talent of unicorn Mobley is visible to the naked eye, and the future of the Cavaliers can be said to be bright, with the hardware to welcome James home.
Therefore, many people's interpretation of James's words is that he will leave the Lakers at some point in the future, at least he can see his dissatisfaction with the team's current lineup (the Lakers have not done anything on the trade deadline), and James's insinuation is a disguised pressure on management.
Perhaps it's too early to discuss James leaving the Lakers, as he still has a one-year contract with the team and a salary of $44.47 million next season. But if James doesn't renew his contract with the Lakers early this summer, it basically means that he will leave the team in the future.
In this regard, Brian Windhorst talked in detail about the situation of James and the Lakers in the program today. Brian Windhorst affirmed James' dissatisfaction with the Lakers, he was disappointed with the quiet of the team's trade deadline, but that does not mean James will leave the Lakers, and his starting point is to hope that the Lakers can fully improve the lineup this summer.
James hopes that the Lakers will squeeze themselves dry, not to be reluctant to draft picks, and explore all opportunities to improve the strength of the team, just like the Heat and Cavaliers did that year. For the 18th championship trophy in team history, Jenny Bass had to seriously consider James' advice and devote it all.
The lakers' current state and staffing are difficult to make people full of confidence in their championship competition, and the management needs to take a longer-term view, make a difference in the offseason, impress James with actions, and strive for early contract renewal!