LeBron James wild Lakers timeline from title glory to final curtain
LeBron James’ Lakers career can now be viewed as a timeline, with each stop telling a different part of the story: the arrival, the injury, the Anthony Davis trade, the bubble championship, the Kobe Bryant grief, the scoring record, the NBA Cup, the Bronny James moment and, finally, the Luka Dončić pivot that now looks like it was the beginning of the end.James came to Los Angeles in 2018 after opting out of his contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers.He signed a four-year, $153.5 million deal with the Lakers, joining a franchise that had missed the playoffs for five straight seasons and was still trying to rebuild around young talent.The Lakers started slowly, and James’ first season in Los Angeles was derailed by a Christmas Day groin injury.
He missed 17 straight games, and the Lakers fell out of the playoff race.It marked the first time James had missed the postseason since 2005.The Lakers’ timeline changed when Los Angeles traded for Anthony Davis, giving James the superstar partner he needed.
The Lakers immediately became contenders and opened the 2019-20 season 17-2.On Jan.25, 2020, James passed Kobe Bryant for third place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.
Bryant congratulated him publicly that night.The next day, Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others were killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas.Days later, James stood at center court before the Lakers’ first home game after Bryant’s death and delivered an emotional speech in a No.
24 jersey.After the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the season, the NBA resumed inside the Orlando bubble.James and Davis led the Lakers through the Western Conference and into the NBA Finals against the Miami Heat.James finished the clinching Game 6 with a triple-double, delivering the franchise’s 17th championship.
He was named Finals MVP for the fourth time, becoming the first player in NBA history to win that award with three different franchises.The next two seasons were defined by individual history ...