3. The Western Conference
Since his rookie season in 2003-04, LeBron James has dominated the Eastern Conference. He led the Cleveland Cavaliers to an NBA Finals appearance in 2006-07. From 2011-18 with the Miami Heat and the Cavs, he won the Eastern Conference every single time, going to eight straight NBA Finals.
That level of dominance won’t be duplicated in the Western Conference. The West is loaded with superior teams. Even with James in L.A., the Warriors and the Rockets will remain the preseason favorites to meet in a re-match in the Western Conference Finals.
More from Los Angeles Lakers
- NBA Trades: The Lakers bolster their frontcourt in this deal with the Pacers
- A surprise LeBron ranking should raise alarm bells for the Lakers
- Surprising Austin Reaves contract detail confirms Lakers got him for a steal
- Instant Grades for the Lakers’ unprecedented Anthony Davis extension
- Report: Lakers have big plans for recent top-10 pick amid roster shakeup
Also, the middle of the West is stacked with dangerous teams. The New Orleans Pelicans, Utah Jazz, and Denver Nuggets are all young rising teams with superstar players. Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder aren’t falling out of contention with Paul George returning, and the Portland Trail Blazers have one of the most elite guard tandems in the NBA.
LeBron has a multitude of teams in the West to compete with for playoff spots. Outside of the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers in the East, the remainder of the conference is mediocre.
James isn’t getting any younger. Combining the regular season and playoffs, he has played 54,386 minutes over 1,382 games. At some point, Father Time is going to catch him, and he’s going to be unable to compete in 75-80 games per season. If winning championships is the ultimate goal, joining a team that’s poised and ready to win would’ve been a better option.