G.O.A.T. Who?

Article by: James Duncan

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Alright folks. It is no secret that on Wednesday night Lebron James passed Michael Jordan in points scored in an NBA Career. As sports fans, we all tipped our caps to the king as we normally do after witnessing greatness from James, but all accomplishments aside the question remains given the Lakers record this season, "Will this be the first season in 8 years that Lebron misses the playoffs?" .

Let us now look at the facts. The Lakers now sit eleventh in the Western Conference with a record of 30-35, and as of right now it looks as though playoffs may be out of reach for James and his young squad. So, what is the problem? Many speculate that this may be Magic Johnson's fault. Some believe after the Anthony Davis drama surrounding the trade deadline, that this may have played a big role in disrupting the team's overall chemistry. Another question would be what if this is just a coaching problem?

​Well, we can sit here and analyze every corner of the Lakers starting from Lavar Ball to the front office, but I think the main issue with the Los Angeles Lakers is the King himself. Just like any well-run organization, you need good responsible leadership. Now, this is not to say that Lebron James is a terrible leader, I mean we cannot forget that this man took a god-awful team in Cleveland to the finals last season. I think we are often too quick to take the blame off some NBA stars, because as viewers, we want to see our favorite players succeed without any hindrances. Lebron James is an icon to many, and damaging that reputation is sometimes hard for us as sports fans to do, but let us be honest here; goofing off at practice, showing up to games with a glass of wine on the bench, and outside distractions that come with living in the city of stars may not be the best way to set an example and lead this group of younglings to a title.

The biggest error I think James has made here this season is ending it with a minute’s restriction. It is almost like Lebron has just now freed up some energy to focus more on building his brand, and his HBO show. Next thing you know, Lebron may be having business meetings court-side with Space Jam 2 producers.
           
NBA fans I hate to say it, but this season will go down in history as Lebron's worst in the NBA. Not just statistically, but socially and emotionally as well. Wednesday night, Lakers point guard Rajon Rondo was caught sitting away from teammates on the bench, as his face indicated a lot of frustration. He clearly does not want to play in LA anymore. If you are an up and coming free agent and see that, do the Lakers still become a top destination for you? Does Lebron James still look like a great team leader? I guess for now we will just have to see what the future holds for the King and his Lakers next season, and to see if any big time free agents will still be attracted enough to join him. 

Thanks for reading, and feel free to comment your thoughts and opinions down below!

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