One of LeBron James’ former teammates doesn’t believe “The King” can lead the Los Angeles Lakers to an NBA championship next season.
Kendrick Perkins, who played with James on the Cleveland Cavaliers, thinks the NBA’s all-time leading scorer is too old to lead the Lakers to a title. The former Boston Celtics big man thinks that should be Anthony Davis’ job.
Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka said during Summer League in Las Vegas that James and Davis have recovered from the respective foot ailments they suffered and played through last season. James missed 13 straight games from late February until late March because of a torn tendon in his right foot. Meanwhile, Davis missed 20 straight games from mid-December until late January with a bone spur and stress reaction in his right foot. It appears neither James nor Davis underwent surgery.
“We feel good about the offseason and the treatment that AD and LeBron are getting,” Pelinka said at halftime of the Lakers’ summer league game against the Charlotte Hornets on July 9, via ESPN. “All the reports have been good around both those injuries, in terms of the guys being able to move past them.”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: LeBron James & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
Davis finished the 2023 playoffs averaging 22.6 points, 14.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.4 steals and 3.1 blocks in 16 games versus the Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors and Denver Nuggets. James, meanwhile, put up 24.5 points, 9.9 boards and 6.5 assists per game.
The Lakers got swept by the Nuggets in the 2023 Western Conference Finals. Pelinka has been busy this summer, re-signing Austin Reaves, D’Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura and signing Gabe Vincent, Cam Reddish, Taurean Prince and Jaxson Hayes. Los Angeles is expected to start Russell, Reaves, Hachimura, James and Davis next season.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: LeBron James & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
James signed a two-year extension with the Lakers last summer. He has a player option for the 2024-25 season.
As for Davis, he signed a five-year, $190 million contract with the Lakers in December 2020. The deal includes an early termination option in 2024 and will be fully up in 2025. Davis has the same agent (Rich Paul of Klutch Sports Group) as James. He is eligible for a three-year contract extension worth around $167 million starting in August.
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