Los Angeles Lakers: 3 takeaways from 2019 NBA Finals that impact L.A.
By Amaar Burton
2. LeBron James’ legacy just got more complicated
If you’ve spent any time on social media lately, you’d know that LeBron James was — amazingly, yet not surprisingly — one of the most talked-about people in the 2019 NBA Finals.
Of course, LeBron wasn’t playing in the Finals. He hasn’t played in an NBA game since March.
As the current face of the NBA, however, LeBron’s footprints were all over the postseason despite the fact that his Lakers were not involved.
As the Raptors and Warriors battled for the ring, every game inspired a slew of steaming hot takes attempting to put LeBron’s legacy and career in perspective.
Some said that Leonard leading the Raptors through the Eastern Conference in his first year there — and doing it without a “super-team” — proved that LeBron’s streak of eight straight conference titles wasn’t that impressive after all.
Others argued that Toronto finally getting over the hump after looking so feeble against LeBron’s teams in the past should’ve given people a new appreciation for LeBron’s dominance in the East. The King’s departure for the Lakers gave teams like the Raptors a chance when they were previously written off as pretenders.
Some people claim that Leonard defeating the Warriors’ loaded roster of All-Stars when LeBron went 1-3 against Golden State in the Finals exposed LeBron as overrated.
Others countered that Leonard got lucky that the Warriors’ loaded roster was depleted by injuries, most notably to Durant and Thompson. LeBron never had the luxury of facing such a banged up squad.
How do these constant LeBron-related arguments impact the Lakers?
LeBron is not oblivious to what is said about him by fans and media. He’s active on social media, he’s very aware of public perception and he is heavily invested in how he’ll be remembered among the all-time greats.
Whatever motivation LeBron went into this offseason with to redeem himself after a disappointing 2018-19, he may add an extra layer of it after his legacy was questioned so much during the Finals.