Do The Lakers Years Define LeBron’s Legacy, or Was A Cavs Title What Matters Most?
LeBron James has accomplished so much in his basketball career. He has broken many records. Without a doubt, a future first-ballot Hall of Famer. During his time with the Los Angeles Lakers, it has been more of a lackluster tenure than a successful one compared to the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers. Sure, he won in 2020, but that was during the pandemic year playing in the bubble. Who knows what would’ve happened if there wasn’t a pandemic? The 2020 team was good, but no traveling and everyone playing in the same building changed the whole dynamic.
If you want to ask me which Lebron James was at his peak: 2013 Heat, 2016 Cavs, or 2020 Lakers? I would say 2013 with the Miami Heat was Lebron at his best. He still had incredible athleticism, he improved his three-point jump shot and he was an outstanding defender. He should’ve won Defensive Player of the Year over Marc Gasol. Even though 2013 was the best he’s ever been, 2016 had the better storyline and put him at a level that many more people respect him.
His 2016 title run with the Cavs is one of the most incredible and impressive title runs of all time in basketball history. He promised Cleveland to bring a title after leaving them years ago. LeBron, with the help of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, was able to dethrone a 73-win Golden State Warriors team.
During his second tenure with the Cavs, he went to the NBA Finals every single time and 2018 was a big deal because he carried that team to the Finals and had to beat a tough Boston Celtics team in the Eastern Conference Finals in seven games to get there. LeBron could’ve won more titles with Cleveland had it not been for the injuries of Kyrie and Kevin Love in 2015 and the addition of Kevin Durant. Golden State was already a good team, but Durant made them unbeatable.
LeBron has a far better legacy in Cleveland than in Los Angeles. However, the Lakers have been one of the hottest teams in the second half and are currently in the second round leading the series over the defending champs, Golden State Warriors. We don’t know how far the Lakers could go during this postseason run. If somehow LeBron and the Lakers win it all this season, then sports media will start debating in terms of team legacy or which team he thrived the most or should be linked to the most. Only time will tell, but as of right now, LeBron’s tenure with the Lakers hasn’t been impressive compared to Cleveland.
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