LeBron James has a player op-out this summer for his contract with the LA Lakers. As reported by Brian Windhorst, he intends to use it and become a free agent for the first time in 5 years. That begs the question: what’s the next, and potentially final, chapter for one of the game’s greatest players?
What’s Next for LeBron James?
Option 1: LA Lakers
This is the most obvious option. LA offers a bunch of non-basketball benefits for James, including opportunities for his acting and investing careers. He also is very familiar with the Lakers, their system, and their roster. He’s spent 5 years there and reached the playoffs 4 of out 5 years. Furthermore, he’s made 2 WCF appearances and won a championship in 2020. James’ tenure there has objectively been a success thus far, and there’s good reason to expect he would like to continue that tenure and retire in LA. Finally, upper management of the Lakers has shown a willingness to expend a draft pick to select his son, which is reportedly a high priority for James.
However, from a basketball perspective, this is not a decision conducive to winning James’ coveted fifth title. To put it lightly, the Lakers are a mess. They have been in the playin in both of the last two seasons. Their roster is poorly constructed and has a bunch of holes all over the rotation. They have limited defense and are inefficient and inconsistent on offense when James and Anthony Davis are off the floor. They also have a hard cap as they just cannot beat the Denver Nuggets. The Lakers have gotten destroyed in both of their last two series against Denver and just match up poorly in general. While LA may be the best spot from a non-basketball perspective, they are one of the worst options short of the Wizards or Pistons from a championship perspective.
Option 2: Denver Nuggets
As the famous saying goes: “If you can’t beat them, join them.” From the perspective of winning the coveted 5th title, this is probably the best landing spot for James. The Nuggets are the defending champs and have a very good shot of repeating this year. Top star Nikola Jokic is the acknowledged best player in the league and teaming up with him offers James a very good shot of winning another title. It’s impossible to guarantee anything in the NBA. However, it is difficult to imagine a scenario where a healthy Jokic and James fail to win a title.
The counterpoint is that Denver is a poor option from a non-basketball perspective. James is preoccupied with becoming a team owner and building a legacy that will withstand his retirement. Denver is a very nice, beautiful city, but it is not the media hub and international destination that LA is. Thus, it doesn’t help to further James’ non-basketball goals, which is a major strike against it as a landing spot for James.
Option 3: Golden State Warriors
This is the least likely option among the 3 listed here. However, just take a moment to imagine it. The eternal enemies, Steph Curry and LeBron James, whose rivalry defined the NBA for years, joining up in the twilight of their careers for one last run to show that the old guard still got it. It would a storybook ending to a legendary career.
Furthermore, San Francisco is a city that could accommodate James’ ambitions. It is a national hub for venture capital and is a media hotspot with international attention on it. The Warriors are the most valuable franchise in the NBA, and playing under the bright lights at the Chase Center could only help increase the legend of LeBron James. Furthermore, it isn’t a bad move from a basketball perspective as well. Even at their advanced ages, LeBron James and Steph Curry would still be an incredible combination. Them along with the likes of Draymond Green, Jonathan Kuminga, and Andrew Wiggins could conceivably win a title. It’s a balanced solution that offers a lot to James both from a basketball and non-basketball perspective.
The Last Word on LeBron James’ Impeding Free Agency
James is 39 and will turn 40 next season. Wherever he ends up could easily be the last chapter of his legendary career. No matter where he goes, I hope he get his last title that he’s been seeking. It would be fitting for one of the greats, the face of the league for almost 2 decades now to go out as a champion one last time. No matter what happens, it’s going to be a very exciting summer as we all await James’ decision.
