LeBron James surpassed every single expectation he had when he entered the league in the legendary 2003 NBA Draft. Still, some people expected him to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to another ring in year 20.
Not many 38-year-olds would be able to withstand a 38-minute basketball game, let alone in the NBA. So, why would one expect James to be as good as he was when he was 27?
Still, even James was obviously disappointed for not getting the job done this time. Unfortunately for him, Stephen A. Smith believes this might have been his final shot at that fifth NBA championship.
Stephen A. Smith Says LeBron James Won’t Win Another Championship
“It’s not about LeBron, it’s about what you can put around him. Rob Pelinka has done a phenomenal job of transforming this roster, but it still ain’t enough and I’m wondering what else they can get,” Smith said.
“I think it would be a miracle if they got Kyrie Irving,” the pundit continued. “I’ll pencil in LeBron for 25 points a night, but when you look at Anthony Davis. If we can’t rely on him to show up in consecutive games now, are we gonna be able to do that next year?”
“So to me if you’re LeBron who is approaching his 39th birthday — that with Anthony Davis and with how strapped the Los Angeles Lakers are in terms of what assets they have available, how can I definitively sit here when I’m looking at Denver, when I’m looking at Devin Booker and Kevin Durant wondering if they’re gonna get additional assets in Phoenix, how can I look at some of these other teams and go ‘the Lakers can take them?'” Smith concluded.
Well, all great things eventually come to an end, and it’s not like LeBron has anything left to prove at this point in his career. Still, it’s crazy to think that his reign might finally be over.