Yahoo Sports Daily hosts Caroline Fenton and Jason Fitz discuss whether LeBron James will stay with the Los Angeles Lakers next year or join another team for next season. Watch the full episode of Yahoo Sports Daily on YouTube or YahooSports.TV.
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Video Transcript
Been a lot of chatter about a LeBron/Cleveland reunion this off-season, but sources have told ESPN that if James wants to play a 24th season, he would be welcomed back in LA.
So, what do you think?
Are we, do you love this?
Would you love to see LeBron back in LA?
I would love to see LeBron back in Cleveland.
Like, if I could write my own little storybook ending for LeBron’s final season.
But, like, if he wants to end his, his career in LA, like, sure, why not?
Like, I don’t hate it.
Is it the ultimate story?
No, but I- f- that’s fine.
You know, at least in LA, everyone knows what to expect from LeBron.
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My one fear or hesitation with LeBron going back to Cleveland is the level of expectation that LeBron would have to be the guy, to be the savior, to be LeBron when LeBron was at his peak.
LeBron’s not that anymore.
LeBron’s got sciatica, LeBron’s got arthritis.
LeBron’s, in four- in his 40s.
LeBron, can he be LeBron?
Sure- LeBron James.
He can’t be that Exactly.
LeBron can’t be that on every single given night.
LeBron cannot single-handedly carry the load of a franchise on his shoulders.
I feel like that would be the expectations in Cleveland.
At least if he stays in LA, everybody knows what he’s g- what, what they’re going to get from LeBron.
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I also feel like LeBron’s just happy in LA.
LeBron wants to live in LA.
LeBron wants to, you know, be a Laker.
It’s not the best story out there, but I don’t hate it.
I don’t want him to stay in LA just because it’s, it’s a constant cloud of conversation.
Like, I want the Lakers to decide that they’re gonna move forward in this new Luka era, and they’re gonna be a different sort of team.
They’re gonna build around Luka.
They’re gonna just They’re gonna make him the, the star and make sure everything gravitates around Luka moving forward.
I just want, I want closure, and I wanna move forward.
This is just so much of what I say every time I roll my eyes at Tiger coming back in golf.
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Like, at some point, you just never get new storylines if you just keep running these old ones into the ground.
As a fan of the NBA, the c- the thought of an entire ‘nother year of LeBron/Lakers drama that we cook up constantly because we love talking about it, just kinda makes me wanna throw up in my mouth!
But, look, I, I, again, I think if he has the choice, he would pick the Lakers over the, the, the Cavs going into next season.
So I fear that we’re gonna get stuck with a, a, just worse c- I mean, just the, the retirement tour.
The one more year coming up for the Lakers when they treat it in every city he goes to is just gonna be exhausting.