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LOS ANGELES – Here's the presentation of the upcoming show that will be developed by SpringHill Entertainment, the production company co-founded by LeBron James and Maverick Carter: what about an inside look at a glamorous NBA franchise and how a cloakroom s' is it collapsed in the face of burning problems? The star player becomes a hot spot for frustration, and he struggles to find elusive solutions as the season begins to pass.
And get this: the main role can be played by … wait … LeBron himself!
Well. Hollywood loves nothing more than a deliciously dramatic reality show. And why is it convenient to undress in front of LeBron's eyes or, shall we say, eyes very tired and confused? Just as he holds power over his growing empire of entertainment, he is also primarily responsible for the situation that derailed the Lakers as they stumble and threaten to collapse in this run to the playoffs.
If they miss this opportunity – and the game becomes slippery – it would be a brutal, though not detrimental, blow to LeBron's legacy, which he cares so much about. This would raise reasonable questions about his leadership style; his curious connection with the player agency that he helped to train; its degree of power within the Lakers and if it is too expansive; and more importantly, about his ability to attract free agents to a list before his contract runs out or Father Time does not hit him in the shoulder.
For now, the Lakers are broken, far from what Magic Johnson and LeBron and others had projected at last summer's signing. Where are we going to start?
According to their relatives, many of his teammates disliked LeBron's role in the pursuit against Anthony Davis – when half of the rotation was ready for New Orleans – and his comments after the break from the All-Star game, when LeBron seemed to blame everyone except himself for the embarrassing losses suffered by pelicans and grizzlies. Most locker rooms had a great admiration for LeBron before the start of the season, and how could they not? But the atmosphere is changing … and how could it be otherwise?
LeBron also plays for a coach who, if the whispers are true, does not totally approve, and how do you expect Luke Walton to feel?
In addition, since the return of his groin injury, LeBron's play has not been excellent, with notable defense errors, which may be attributed to his age and LeBron's tendency. to choose his positions at both ends of the room. He could get by when his teams in Cleveland and Miami win; not so now.
Given all this, a little hindsight is needed and should be heard through the noise of the last days. The Lakers just would not be in this situation if LeBron did not miss a month. In addition, Lonzo Ball, who was developing well before wringing his ankle, still has not returned.
Plus: mediocre defense, turnarounds and misses from the free throw line are team-wide problems, do not just a LeBron problem. In addition, even in his worst days, LeBron is more productive and consistent and far surpasses the next best Laker, no matter what.
Finally, there's this: the Lakers were not supposed to be special this season anyway, certainly not a threat to the Warriors; this year has always been referred to as a transition year with a still maturing young core that needed seasoning and veterinarians under one year contract.
But of course, LeBron is paid and treated as a savior, and participation in the playoffs was supposed to be a given, and some of the losses were totally shameful.
The Davis drama, which seemed to have LeBron's fingerprints, not only did not help, but also caused a lot of grief and mistrust among his teammates. Does LeBron have his back or is he trying to stuff them with a knife? Because of his obvious influence, not a single player will be confronted with LeBron to get answers on their position. They are either too young and intimidated, or too old and deeply committed to their careers and do not want to compromise their chances of getting an extension.
The climate is different for LeBron. He was held in high regard in the locker rooms of Cleveland and Miami. He was the superstar who always and willingly shared his extrajudicial wealth with his teammates – offering them a designer helmet, expensive cell phones, and everything else he missed. When they socialized with him, they could count on an automatic entrance beyond the closed doors to most people. It was good to be teammates with LeBron. He took care of them, watched them, raised them.
And now? Given what's happening with the Lakers, his current teammates probably should not expect cameos in Space Jam 2.
It's also a case study of LeBron's power within the Lakers. He is more or less a partner of Magic, a relationship he did not have with Pat Riley in Miami – Riles has traced the border more than once with LeBron – and not so much in Cleveland. This kind of power and voice within the organization does not go unnoticed among his teammates.
Suppose, for example, that the Lakers are arguing for Davis this summer. Can you imagine that the handful of players remaining in this profession will return to the team next season, ready and willing to forgive and forget?
There is a temporary solution. The Lakers can start winning, starting with Wednesday's game against the Pelicans. They can extinguish the internal and external fire by climbing the rankings in the West and making a run for the playoffs. LeBron is thus "activated", abandoning performances similar to those of MVP and serving as an example to follow.
This can certainly happen because every team involved in the pursuit of one of the last playoff locations (Kings, Clippers, Spurs) has all the flaws. And no one has LeBron.
If the Lakers continue to stumble, all eyes will be on LeBron and how he will handle it. Will it be a meaningless season, a distant experience for a player who has played in the last eight finals of the NBA, or will he check-out?
The drama will follow wherever LeBron and the Lakers go from here. The biggest surprise is that this film is not filmed and is not ready to be produced. Is not it entertaining enough?
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Shaun Powell has been covering the NBA for over 25 years. You can send him an email here, find his archives here and follow him on Twitter.
The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA, its clubs or Turner Broadcasting.
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