LeBron James’ second stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers did an excellent job for the King to become a fan favorite once again. After all, his joining the Miami Heat left a huge tarnish on his reputation.
Following his four-year tenure and bringing a title to the Cavs, James decided to embark on a new journey in his career ahead of the 2018-19 NBA season. Despite making it to four consecutive NBA Finals with the Cavaliers, LBJ decided to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers in a blockbuster move.
At the time, the Purple and Gold were navigating in a post- Kobe Bryant era, and Bron’s arrival sent shockwaves throughout the fanbase. But why did the four-time NBA MVP come to the City of Angels in 2018? Well, Bryant unknowingly played a role in it.
James was reportedly impressed with how the Lakers treated Bryant
The L-Train was soon to be 34 years old when he entered free agency in 2018. Although James has hardly shown any signs of slowing down. He continues to amaze fans with his insane longevity as LBJ prepares for year 23 in the NBA.
Considering his age, it’s only natural for LeBron to be mindful of his fitness. For that to happen, he needed to play at a top-notch franchise that supported it. According to an ESPN report, the Lakers' considerate treatment of Kobe during the twilight years of his career contributed to James’ arrival in LA.
“Part of the reason James came to the Lakers as a free agent in 2018 is the standard of care they showed during the final seasons of Bryant's career a decade ago, sources said,” the report stated . “James liked playing for an iconic franchise as much as he liked how it treated its iconic players. There was no telling how much longer James could maintain his level of play when he joined the Lakers."
“He was 34 at the time, the same age as Bryant was when he suffered an Achilles tendon injury that accelerated his physical decline,” it wrote.
If the report is true, it’s no surprise that James has enjoyed his time with the Lakers. Now, he will turn 40, and the four-time NBA champion is ready to commence yet another season.
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James denies ESPN’s report
The Lakers superstar is still one of the league's faces. Evidently, he garners a considerable amount of attention from the media. However, at times, the reports can be false. In this case, the King denied these claims via his official X (formerly known as Twitter) account.
Instead, the 39-year-old revealed the primary reason behind his move to the Lakers was helping Jeanie Buss win multiple NBA championships. While James did lead the Purple and Gold to a title in 2020, the franchise hasn’t made it to the NBA Finals since then.
Can James lead the Lakers to another ring in the 2024-25 season? Well, fans will find out soon as the new season is closer than ever.
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