Rob Pelinka, general manager of the Lakers, hoped on Tuesday that LeBron James would continue his career, “even if he has earned the right” to decide, after casting doubt on his future in the wake of elimination in play-offs the day before against Denver.
“Coach (Darvin Ham) and I will be talking to LeBron in the coming days. We all know he is speaking on his own behalf and we look forward to those discussions. He has given basketball more than anyone else. When you do that, you earn the right to decide if you want to give more. Obviously, we hope his career continues,” Pelinka said at a press conference.
“We sometimes put sports people and artists on a pedestal. But they are human beings and, just like with us, there are turning points in their careers. Our job in the franchise is to support all the players in our team when they are there,” he added.
“In the coming days, we will be in contact with him and his management. We will not give him anything other than our support. We obviously hope that his career will continue. But we want to give him time,” he said. he concluded.
James was not present at the Lakers’ premises during the traditional end-of-season press briefing.
Monday evening, he concluded his press conference with cryptic words, immediately sparking speculation about a possible retirement at 38: “We’ll see what happens… I don’t know. Personally, as far as basketball, I have a lot to think about”.
Disappointment, frustration
In the process, ESPN affirmed that “LBJ” was indeed thinking of stopping basketball, by the voice of one of his reporters who then exchanged with him.
Disappointment, frustration naturally inhabited him after the conceded 4-0 loss against the Nuggets, after a fourth game where he was heroic. He had planted 31 of his 40 points in the first period, beating his personal best in the matter, after 48 minutes.
“You know, after a tough loss like that, I think I was ready to retire last night too,” Ham joked. “But in all honesty and seriousness, LeBron has earned the right to do whatever he wants,” he added.
“I just want to thank him…especially him, for being a constant support for me as a first-time coach. He was the person who supported me the most, who informed me the most and who helped me the most to communicate throughout the year. He was there, in the foreground, for me and my team. So he earned the right to decide what he wants to do”, insisted again Ham.
Finally, Pelinka indicated that the Lakers hoped to retain the core of the team that ended the season, while building for the future.
“We are incredibly proud of this group…it will be very important to maintain this continuity,” said Pelinka. “At the end of the day, we were eliminated by a team that was built over time. They have a group of players who have been together for several seasons and it shows in the way they play. So continuity is a priority for us”.
