While Lazenby’s contributions to sports through his novels are extensive, he is also a regular contributor to one of the most popular basketball websites on the internet, HoopsHype.com. Recently he published a column discussing the possibility of free-agent to be LeBron James heading to 
Los Angeles to play for the Lakers. His ideas were met with hope from some, anger from others, but curiosity from all. It is an interesting concept of course, and Lazenby feels that the chances are certainly not outside the realm of possibility.
“Why shouldn’t LeBron be on that center stage in LA? He’s the star of the future. If you’re that big of a star, you have to have an ego to match. So it makes sense that he would covet that opportunity. As it was explained to me — Kobe could be there, or not. It didn’t matter to LeBron. He loves LA, and the Lakers are the big cheese in LA.”
While many Lakers fans see this as pure blasphemy, which I learned when I explored the topic back in January, there is no question that James would be a fabulous acquisition for any team, including Los Angeles. LeBron James, 25, is going to be the face of the NBA for a long time, and it is important to understand that this is the Lakers only opportunity to snag him in his prime. One thing that many Lakers fans often forget is that some of their biggest franchise superstars were not drafted by Los Angeles, and Lazenby made one brilliant comparison to the current LeBron James scenario.
“Remember that Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar) was the brilliant young star of the league in Milwaukee. He won a title there, but he hated the cold, grew tired of the place, and forced a trade. Like that, he was in LA, hanging out by the pool. So life’s not fair, and people get immensely angry if you point that out.”
Other than a comical jab at the citizens of Milwaukee and Cleveland, Lazenby’s point is completely accurate. The Lakers may have a geographical advantage compared to some of the other teams around the league, and that could play a significant role in this summer’s free agent bonanza. However, as Lazenby also was quick to point out, whoever suits up for Los Angeles next season is going to depend most on who is sitting on the sidelines.
Next: Will Phil Jackson return?
[phpbay]Jerry West, 3, “”, “”[/phpbay]
Comments