MIAMI – Back in the arena where he played the best basketball of his career, LeBron James was asked to look to the future instead of the past and share how much longer he plans to play in the NBA.
“I don’t have a number,” James said Wednesday after the call Los Angeles Lakers‘ lose 112-98 for his old team, Heat Miami, when asked how many seasons he has left. “I know as long as my mind is in it I can play at this level for a minute. Now it’s up to my mind. My body will be fine because if my mind is in it. focusing on that, I’ll make sure my body is taken care of and I’ll keep working.”
It was another strong night for the 20-year-old individual, leading the Lakers in points (27), bounces (9) and assists (6). But LA has lost for the ninth time in its past 13 games, dropping to 14-21 for the season and placing the Lakers in 13th place out of 15 teams in the Western Conference.
While James said his mental approach will ultimately determine how long after two years, the $97 million he has left on his contract with the Lakers (with a player option in the fifth year). two), that approach has profound implications for team performance.
According to James, victory seems to be the real fountain of youth.
“I’m a winner and I want to win,” James said. “And I want to win and give myself a chance to win and still compete for championships. It’s always been my passion, it’s always been my goal since I entered the tournament as a kid. 18 year old kid in Akron, Ohio.
“And I know it takes steps to get there, but once you get there and know how to get there, playing basketball at this level just to play basketball isn’t in my DNA. It’s not in my DNA anymore. So we’ll see what happens and see how fresh my mind will be in the next few years.”
James’ time with the Lakers was the toughest of the three franchises he’s ever been in. In Cleveland, he won Rookie of the Year, two MVPs, made five NBA Finals, and won the championship as well as the Finals MVP. In Miami, that’s two more MVPs, four Finals, two championships and two Finals MVPs.
As a member of purple and gold, he became the first player in league history to win a Finals MVP with three different teams, earning the honor for the Lakers’ victory over the Heat in the Finals. 2020 in Florida, but he also missed two knockouts and experienced the only knockout loss of his career.
Not to mention the Lakers’ difficulties this season.
While the topic of James’ longevity came naturally as his 38th birthday approached on Friday, the decision to answer the question the way he did could have been an endeavor. to put pressure on the Lakers’ main office to make a transaction to achieve more success. competition list.
Since the big man Lakers Anthony Davis Having been sidelined with a strain injury to his right foot nearly two weeks ago, James made subtle remarks about LA’s predicament – whether it was in praise of the team or not. King Sacramento‘ the list builds around its stars in Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox or ask rhetorically after a previous Christmas Day loss Dallas Mavericks“How many times will you try to dig yourself deep [of a losing hole] until it has too much dirt on it?”
Lakers executive vice president of basketball and general manager Rob Pelinka announced at the team’s annual media day in September that his mission was to form a competitive team around James.
“Let me be clear: We have one of the great players in LeBron James who used to play this game, and he has committed to us on a long-term, three-year contract. So , of course, we’re going to do everything we can, including options, to make deals to give us the opportunity to help LeBron get to the bottom,” Pelinka said. “He’s committed to our organization. It’s got to be a bilateral commitment, and it’s there.”
James reinvented the concept of how long a player’s peak in the league is supposed to last. This season, two decades into his career, his 27.8 points-per-game average ranks 9th in the NBA and his 35.8 minutes per game ranks 19th.
“He’s a strong, fierce opponent,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said after the loss in Miami. “Team, we’re having our ups and downs right now. We’re on the wrong side of the win-lose column. So he won’t allow himself to be left out of the game. He’s done a great job. work that I have never seen makes him physically ready and able to produce at an extremely high level.”
In a recent interview with German journalist Maximillian Haupt, James’ teammate, Dennis Schroder – speaking in his native language – said the Lakers star told him he hopes to play for another seven years, until he turns 45.
That number may not have been drawn out of thin air. James has long admired Tampa Bay Buccaneers midfielder brave catwho is still playing in the NFL at the age of 45 and won his seventh Super Bowl record at the age of 43.
Schroder told ESPN that he hopes James hits that goal because “the NBA needs him” and because how special James would be if given the chance to play in the league with one or both of his sons.
James, with a wistful voice, said he had a lot on his mind as he prepared to blow out the candles on this year’s birthday cake.
“I think about how much longer I’m going to play this game,” James said. “I think about it. I don’t want to end my career at this level from a team perspective. I can still compete for the championship because I know what I can still bring to any question. Which ball club with the matching pieces.” .
“I think about how soon my son will be graduating from high school, going to college, and I’m still playing. My youngest son will be a junior in high school next year – how much time will I miss out on? So over the course of a day, to weeks, to months, I think about a little bit of everything. You know what?”
