The Los Angeles Lakers may have gotten swept out of the Western Conference Finals, but the fact that they got that far is an accomplishment in of itself considering how they started the 2022-23 season.
Perhaps the most encouraging sign to come from the playoffs is that LeBron James is still able to dial in and give playoff-winning performances when the Lakers need him the most. In Game 4 against the Denver Nuggets, James played all 48 minutes and nearly led Los Angeles to a victory before ultimately falling in the final seconds.
The King had arguably the best Year 20 of any player in NBA history, though that didn’t stop Memphis Grizzlies wing Dillon Brooks from taking a jab at him in the first round when he called James old. Brooks showed no remorse for his comments even after the Grizzlies were eliminated in six games, and that must’ve played a role in the organization’s decision not to bring him back next year.
In an appearance on the Podcast P with Paul George show, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Paul George discussed Brooks’ comments and if it gave motivation to James:
Jaren, PG and crew go back and forth on Dillon Brooks "old" LeBron comments 🍿
Full story on the JJJ Episode: https://t.co/1h9nBaHjUg pic.twitter.com/IEdMJw8DKs
— Podcast P with Paul George (@PodcastPShow) June 5, 2023
Although Jackson agreed with Brooks that James is old, he added that the 38-year-old played great against them in their series and even called him the greatest to ever play. James is defying what it means to be an older player in the league as his down years have looked like career years for almost every other player.
It feels like no matter how old James gets, he’ll still be able to be effective on the court because of his size and basketball IQ. Hopefully he returns to the Lakers for Year 21 as they’ve got the pieces and foundation to make another legitimate run at a championship.
Rich Paul remains cryptic about LeBron James’ future with Lakers
Shortly after losing to the Nuggets, James shocked the basketball world when he said he wasn’t leaving retirement off the table. Leaving the game now would come as a huge surprise considering how well he played and how close Los Angeles got to the Finals.
James’ agent Rich Paul didn’t help quell any of the rumors about his client’s future as he simply said “we’ll see” when asked what he’s planning to do.
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