LeBron James’ time with the Los Angeles Lakers is experiencing something of a renaissance that could be reducing the chances of him leaving this summer.
James’ acceptance of a lesser role has helped spark a 9-game winning streak and reasserted them as a serious playoff contender. Sam Amick of The Athletic suggested the recent success of both James and the Lakers has started to raise the possibility that staying for another season is a viable option.
Amick notes that the apparent lack of synergy and inability to co-exist with Luka Doncic helped drive a lot of the rumors that James might choose to walk after the season. Those have largely quieted down over the Lakers’ last 12 games, with the team looking refreshed and reinvented during that span.
Still, James is not a certainty to remain with the Lakers. While the consensus is he will play at least one more season, and those chances could increase if the team finishes their season strong. If he does leave, Amick again notes that the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors have been linked to him most frequently.
James has seen his usage decrease, but is still averaging 21.1 points per game this season. There is no doubt he can still play. The question at this stage is simply a matter of where.
