NBA – Bitter after the elimination, LeBron’s criticism of the Lakers roster

Par Mathieu Seguin | Rédacteur sport

The addition of Luka Doncic was a golden opportunity for the Lakers, but it also had consequences for the balance of the roster. It showed against Minnesota in the playoffs, so LeBron James had a few things to say.

The Lakers went out in the first round of the playoffs, which will come as no surprise to anyone. Yes, the franchise’s ambition was to win the championship, of course, but the Luka Doncic trade also left its mark. Losing Anthony Davis is no mean feat, especially when the front office failed to replace him, even partially.

Rob Pelinka pulled off the Mark Williams trade, except that the GM ultimately decided to cancel the trade after the physical test. As a result, the Angelinos found themselves without a real solution in the racket. Jaxson Hayes, Alex Len or Christian Koloko? Not good enough for an organization that dreams of winning a title.

LeBron James bitter after Lakers defeat?

The first to be disappointed is LeBron James. He’s in the final years of his career and dreams of winning another championship, but that won’t be the case in this campaign. In his recent podcast with Steve Nash, he acknowledged that the Wolves had been better.

LeBron James on the Wolves : “They’re a more complete team than we were”

A rather surprising admission for James, but one that speaks volumes about a potential frustration. He certainly expected additions before the deadline to make up for the Doncic trade, except that never happened. And when he mentions the defeat, the Chosen One still implicates the team, implying that it wasn’t his fault, nor Luka’s.

LeBron James : “For me, I’ve definitely learned over the years that teams win championships. Always, teams always win championships. And yes, individuals get a lot of the accolades and the praise, but a collective group wins championships. Now, you have your big guys that make big plays at the end of games, throughout the game or whatever the case may be. But ultimately, teams win championships, and I understand that.”

“And it’s never just about me and Luka. It was never just about Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle. It was always Minnesota versus the Lakers, and I understand that. And I am at a point in my career now where I don’t lose sleep over that like, ‘how did me and Luka lose?’ Well, yeah, there’s eight other guys on the floor.”

An interesting comment from the King, which can be seen as a direct criticism of the roster. To each his own.