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Byron Scott: Lakers have to let LeBron go to win NBA championship
TL;DR
Byron Scott suggests the Lakers must let LeBron James go to build a championship team. He argues that freeing up LeBron's $50 million salary would allow the team to acquire younger talent.
Key points
- Lakers were swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the playoffs
- LeBron James may consider leaving the Lakers after 23 seasons
- Byron Scott advocates for trading LeBron to free up salary cap space
Mentioned in this story
LeBron JamesByron ScottLuka DoncicAustin Reaves
Los Angeles LakersOklahoma City Thunder
The Los Angeles Lakers' playoff run ended on Monday when they were swept out of the Western Conference semifinals by the Oklahoma City Thunder in a 115-110 defeat. All eyes will now be on LeBron James for the next couple of months as he ponders what he will do next with his basketball career.
Despite having just completed his 23rd NBA season, he may not decide to retire, but he could very well decide to end his tenure with the Lakers. Many have been speculating that the 2025-26 season would be his final one with the Purple and Gold ever since he exercised the player option on his contract last summer.
The Lakers aren't far from being a championship-caliber team, but they may need to make a couple of significant changes this offseason in order to get to that level. Byron Scott, a former star for them during the Showtime era, feels one of those changes has to be telling James to hit the road.
“You getting paid $50 million,” Scott said. “You’re 41, 42, 43 years old, right? You got a three-headed monster like you’re talking about. The Lakers, if you want to move on and be a championship team for the next five, six, seven years, you got to build around Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves. You can’t do that if he’s still here. He’s $50 million. That comes off the cap. You can go get two really good basketball players. And young basketball players that can come in there and help.”
This isn't the first time Scott has said he wants the future Hall of Famer to leave. A couple of months ago, during an interview with local hip hop station Power 106 that James "got to get the hell up out of" the Lakers.
Q&A
Why does Byron Scott believe the Lakers should let LeBron James go?
Byron Scott believes letting LeBron go would free up his $50 million salary, allowing the Lakers to acquire younger, more impactful players to build a championship-caliber team.
What are the implications of LeBron James potentially leaving the Lakers?
If LeBron leaves, the Lakers could reshape their roster and invest in younger talent, potentially enhancing their chances of winning championships in the coming years.
What changes do the Lakers need to make to become a championship team?
The Lakers need to make significant roster changes, including possibly moving on from LeBron James, to build around younger players like Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
