The Summer of LeBron James is fully under way.
As the 41-year-old Lakers star weighs his decision on to return, retire, or sign elsewhere, reports have begun to circulate fueling the speculation on his next move. Shams Charania of ESPN most recently reported that Rich Paul told him essentially every contender has contacted him about LeBron since the season ended.
Brock Vereen and Alex Curry are calling “cap,” however.
The hosts of 97.1 The Fan LA’s mid-day show were not buying the narrative coming from LeBron’s camp, especially if it’s being used as a negotiation tactic.
“I feel for the first time LeBron, Rich Paul, and the empire they built in PR and media dominance is going to lose the battle,” Vereen said. “They’re undefeated right now. But I think they are severely miscalculating the willingness of the Lakers fans and organization to move on without him.”
While the Lakers may be willing to move on from James, Curry did present the case to keep him, too.
“It’s a little different for LeBron. It’s always a chess match, especially for a superstar of his caliber and a brand like the Lakers and where both of them are at right now at this state of the gam,” Curry said. “LeBron is at the end of his career. A year or two max left. … At 41, he was still playing at a top-25 level and was still able to win a playoff series for a team after his No. 1 and 2 went down earlier in the season …he put the Lakers on his back and won that first series against Houston. “There is still value there. There is still value in LeBron James for the Lakers. So, if you’re the Lakers, you have to ask yourself: what do you want to be next season?”
