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Fansided

Los Angeles Lakers: LeBron James is the only thing grounding LA

By Jason Reed

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 05: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on from the bench during the first half of the game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center on April 05, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 05: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on from the bench during the first half of the game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center on April 05, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images) /
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The Los Angeles Lakers have been a circus over the last year with the only thing grounding the team being a player that some fans have already turned on.

The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most prestigious teams not only in the National Basketball Association but in all of sports. Superstar after superstar has played in the City of Angels and only the Boston Celtics and New York Yankees have more championships in American sports.

The Lakers, alongside the Celtics and the New York Knicks, are the crown jewel of the NBA. When the Lakers are better, the league is better and there is such a massive and devoted fanbase that the Lakers truly are on the Dallas Cowboys’ level when they are successful.

And for most of the franchise’s history, they have been successful. You don’t luck your way into 16 championships and the Lakers have won a championship in every decade except the ’60s and ’90s, although they won in 2000 — close enough.

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The last six years have been the worst stretch in franchise history. Kobe Bryant‘s career came to a sudden halt because of injury and the Lakers simply were not prepared for life without Kobe.

The Lakers have missed the playoffs in the last six seasons; the franchise had just five seasons without a playoff appearance since 1948 prior to this stretch.

The last year or so has gotten really complicated for the Lakers. Despite signing LeBron James and having a very promising young core, the Lakers have been a circus. Constant backstage leaks and rumors have come to the public light and it really appears as if the people running the Lakers do not know how to run a basketball team.

This kind of dysfunction has turned some fans sour. First, Magic Johnson walked away and now even Rob Pelinka is being exposed into the limelight. The head coaching search was a fiasco, attempting to trade for Anthony Davis was a fiasco, nothing has gone smoothly for LA.

Now, Laker fans are left looking at a roster that could be completely different come October, a front office staff that has shown no reason to earn the confidence of the fans and a head coach that might be fired before we know it so Jason Kidd could become the head coach.

The Los Angeles Lakers are a mess. If the team does not get a superstar this summer then this entire thing could blow up in everyone’s face and not even lead to a title run, which would only create another six-year stretch without success.

At the end of the day, the only thing grounding the Lakers is LeBron himself. The player that has had controversy and massive coverage wherever he goes. The player that usually takes the blame for teams not operating functionally.

Some fans might blame LeBron for this circus-like year but this is above LeBron. This is dysfunction that starts from the top down and having LeBron is the team’s one saving grace. The one thing that keeps hope in LA that maybe, just maybe, the team can sign a second star.

Some Laker fans have already turned on LeBron because of his inability to will the team to the playoffs this season, and that is fine. There is no reason to tell someone else how to be a fan.

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However, without LeBron, the Los Angeles Lakers would be in a much bleaker situation than they already are. This whole thing has been a mess and hopefully, LeBron has enough magic left in him to somehow will the entire franchise to an NBA Championship.

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