Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James wasn't going to take one for the team after the Lakers were sent home from the NBA playoffs Monday night by the Denver Nuggets.
The first-round series loss at the hands of the NBA’s defending champions did not evoke any confidence from James, who said after a 108-106 defeat that he doesn’t know what his future holds.
Denver put away James and L.A. thanks to a gritty effort from its stars and some clutch points from point guard Jamal Murray.
Lead changes, clutch buckets and down-to-the-wire drama...
Relive the CHAOTIC final two minutes that led to the Jamal Murray series-winning shot ‼️ pic.twitter.com/y0cP2dganz
— NBA (@NBA) April 30, 2024
But did the 4-1 series loss end James’ long career or will it see him pack up and head for greener pastures?
If James intends to bail on Lakers fans and the organization, he kept his cards close to his vest at a post-game news conference – other than to make it clear he doesn’t have any confidence in his teammates.
The 39-year-old, notorious for a bad temper, spoke to the media after the loss and he was asked if he believed in his team’s ability to win heading into the future.
A reporter asked, “LeBron, with the way you guys finished the regular season and competing with the defending champions the way that you guys did, does that give you or instill any further confidence in this group if it stays together?"
“No,” James said coldly, about the 3:10 mark in the video below. “We lost. I’m not a participation guy.”
https://youtu.be/v4Hk_LanuWo?si=sd1vSQfBnEwvZzMV
James went on to complain that his team had been plagued by injuries all season and that those were “hard” to come back from.
Closing the news conference, another reporter asked James if the loss to Denver might have been his final game with Los Angeles.
“I’m not gonna answer that,” James shot back before rising from his seat. "Appreciate it.”
The Lakers, like James’ other previous teams, were built in large part by him.
His stint in Miami with Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade was good enough to earn him his first two rings while he won another with the Cleveland Cavaliers during his second stint with the team.
James and the Lakers won a ring during the COVID season in 2020 but have not come close since.
Last year, James and L.A. were swept by Denver, and that nearly happened again this season.
The face of the NBA for the last two decades is 1-8 in his last nine playoff games and he doesn’t appear at all confident about a course correction next season.
