In the summer of 2018, LeBron James agreed to terms on a deal with the Los Angeles Lakers. The four-time MVP joined a long list of all-time greats who have worn purple and gold.
In his second season with the Lakers, James led the franchise to an NBA title. Although the team hasn’t gotten back to the big stage, the league’s all-time leading scorer is still playing at an elite level. Some fans wanted him to leave the Lakers this offseason, but he made the decision to remain in Los Angeles.
According to a report from ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, one of the reasons James re-signed with the Lakers is because he saw how well the franchise treated Kobe Bryant in the late stages of his career.
“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,” Shelburne wrote. “James liked playing for an iconic franchise as much as he liked how it treated its iconic players.”
On Saturday morning, James shot down this report with an emphatic social media post.
“I came to the Lakers cause I wanted to help Jeanie win championships, bring that Spark back to the Lakers and see my family blossom in SoCal,” James said. “Why would I make a decision on how someone else is treated. Mama always said ‘Stay out of grown folks business.'”
At the end of the day, every move James makes is very calculated.
James has always had a great deal of respect for Bryant, but we doubt that’s why he stayed with the Lakers.
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