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Did Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Really Like a Video Showing Difference Between Kobe Bryant and LeBron James' Mentality?
Did Shai Gilgeous-Alexander subtly favor Kobe Bryant over LeBron James? Discover the truth behind his social media activity. Read more!
Denver Nuggets triumphed over LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 5 of the NBA playoffs, clinching a 108-106 victory, hence ending the Lakers' playoff drive. Even with James' impressive 30-point performance, the Lakers failed to surpass the Nuggets.
A post on Instagram caught the attention of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, highlighting a contrast in attitudes after a series loss between Kobe Bryant and LeBron James' Lakers. Bryant's mentality, revealed in a podcast, was humorously juxtaposed with James' post-Game 5 comments, trivializing James' achievements.
Claiming, “I hate losing. It's a tough loss. They played extremely well and we have to get ready for the offseason...," Bryant displayed a winning mindset, refusing to offer excuses, and acknowledged that the opponents outperformed them in the series.
James, on the other hand, attributed the Lakers' disappointing season to inconsistent player availability due to injuries.
"We were hit with injuries after injuries, and it's hard to come back from that," lamented James, suggesting that Shai's apparent stance towards James subtly reflects the criticism James regularly faces for his on-court mentality.
Despite consistently ranking high amongst the greatest of all time, James' mentality is often negatively received. This season, James achieved an average of 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 8.3 assists, but Shai, playing for the Thunder, outperformed him with averages of 30.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 6.2 assists.
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LeBron's Lakers Pivot to Depth Over Star Acquisition
In a surprising turn, it seems that the Los Angeles Lakers are possibly reconsidering the addition of a third superstar alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Jovan Buha from
The Athletic suggests that there's some preference within the Lakers team to focus on deepening their roster rather than seeking another top-tier player.
"The idea of constructing a triple-superstar line-up has been the subject of considerable pushback from the Lakers recently," Buha revealed on The Athletic NBA Show. "Of course, whether this strategy prevails depends significantly on LeBron James' standpoint."
Buha added that James has always advocated for trading to secure a third star.
Yet, the Lakers' path to acquiring that third superstar is not as simple as it seemed during the previous trade deadline. Given that D'Angelo Russell is likely to opt out of his contract to test the free agency waters, he would need to consent to a sign-and-trade agreement to practically achieve any form of superstar acquisition.
Russell would probably be coupled with many veteran contracts for salary-matching reasons. In addition, the Lakers would almost inevitably exhaust their future draft-pick flexibility.
Concerns are valid if the Lakers are hesitant. With James nearing his 40th birthday in December, the management needs to map out a future without him. Davis, though younger, has had his fair share of injuries.
His unsuccessful attempt to be the best player on a championship-winning team also poses a challenge.
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