Back in LeBron James’ heyday, he drew heavy criticism when he departed Cleveland to form a superteam in South Beach. In the eyes of one NBA legend, though, LBJ’s big decision was far from deplorable.
Appearing on the “Crossover Podcast,” two-time NBA champion Isiah Thomas said that he was glad James made his monumental move, as it marked the end of old practices that were perhaps too restrictive for players.
“During my period of time, the whole fight was for free agency. We all wanted to be able to leave, change, and go to other places. But we couldn’t…The fact that LeBron left, I was happy to see him have the type of freedom to move around.”
Thomas, who stayed with the Pistons for the entirety of his 13-year NBA career, added that other top-tier competitors could have benefitted from a relocation like that of LBJ.
“So many great players got stuck in organizations that stuck with bad management, got stuck in places where they couldn’t excel. And management never got the blame.”
Though the former leader of the “Bad Boys” puts James’ decision into a unique perspective, James has nevertheless come under heavy fire every time he’s switched teams in his career. The King heard the critics when he came back to Cleveland in 2014, and he caught flak again when he jumped ship to the Lakers four years later.
Even before the Lakers’ 2025-26 season came to an end at the hands of the OKC Thunder, speculations were already running wild about James’ next landing spot this offseason. To date, the 41-year-old superstar has not confirmed his plans for a potential 24th year in the league.
Report: LeBron James Is “Going Back and Forth” With Lakers on New Contract
For what it’s worth, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported on Tuesday that LeBron James is engaged in contract talks with his current team.
“I think the focus right now is making a deal with the Lakers. Right now he’s allowed to negotiate with the Lakers and I believe they are negotiating, I believe they’re going back and forth,” Windhorst said.
Just last week, NBC Sports’ Kurt Helin reported that James and his agent Rich Paul will be asking for a max deal, adding that LBJ’s camp essentially wants to know “what the Lakers’ plans are.”
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