LeBron James has made it known that he is slowly losing his patience. And from the things are going for the Lakers, the future of several players could be in the balance. That includes Lonzo Ball, the celebrated rookie of the franchise.
Being on a rookie contract, there is no denying that he could be one of the players that Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka may consider moving. Of course, many would be dumbfounded by such a move considering the kid does hold promise given time. Unfortunately, the Lakers may not have that luxury, especially with James slowly counting down his NBA years.
The Lakers survived the Dallas Mavericks but blew a big lead in the end. They escaped with a 114-113 win at home, a game where they enjoyed leads by as much as 19, USA Today said. It took a free throw by LeBron with 2.1 seconds remaining to hand the Lakers their third win of the season, CBS Sports said.
While a win is a win, it is by far something that will not sit well with James. From the result of their game against the Mavs, the issue lies on the Lakers ability to finish games. Being a young team, that is only to be expected. However, it is not an excuse and James is indirectly sending a message that the young guys need to mature fast.
One figure who many are waiting to hear from is LaVar Ball. Everyone knows the history of Lonzo's dad, issuing statements that the team does not need. For some reason, he has been quiet as of late and critics believe that he is scared of James, the Los Angeles Times said.
Could his silence mean that the elder Ball is now accepting the fact that his son could be dealt away with James onboard? That is a possibility although the Lakers do have other young candidates that could be traded away for someone better.
Though still early in the season, the Lakers should improve with each passing game. That includes decision-making during games. James is in a team where he needs to take the lead and guide the young turks on how to have successful NBA careers. It will take time, meaning guys like Ball, Brandon Ingram, and Kyle Kuzma need to listen and deliver performances that will help the Lakers' cause.
In all, it is a period of adjustment although no timetable has been set. But seeing that LeBron is growing frustrated, Johnson, Pelinka and even coach Luke Walton may need to evaluate the team and figure out who among the bunch deserves to stay or not.
