Why LeBron HAD TO GO to the Lakers

LeBron has officially decided to take his talents (this phrase is so overused, won't stop me though) to the Los Angeles Lakers. Although the Lakers were the most realistic landing spot for their flexibility and capability to acquire other superstars, people have many other hypotheses for LeBron’s departure from Cleveland to LA. Some say its the business and entrepreneurial opportunities. Some proclaim the locations of his LA homes means a move to Los Angeles was simply about time. However, the most important reason in my estimation for why LeBron had to go to the Lakers was to prove himself in the Western Conference.

We all know, if LeBron retired today he would be one of the most accomplished superstars in NBA history and would for most be an AT LEAST a top 5 NBA player of all time. However, a lot of his glory has come through taking advantage of what many consider the much weaker Eastern conference. LeBron has played his entire career in the Eastern Conference through which the East has generally been the weaker of the two conferences. Many argue that LeBron making it to 8 straight finals is as much a product of his abysmal competition in the conference as is his dominance as a player. I mean, realistically speaking, would LeBron have had any chance of taking that Cavs team to the Finals in the West, even if you were to say the Warriors were somehow not in their way? HELL NO!

This is LeBron’s opportunity to prove all the doubters wrong. This is LeBron’s opportunity to show that he can dominate even the best teams in the NBA night after night. And if by chance LeBron’s gets a solid supporting cast and defeats the Golden State Warriors to make it to his 9th straight NBA Finals appearance, this time in the Western Conference, that would be it. That for many would push LeBron to the top of Mt.Rushmore. That for many would make LeBron the GOAT of all basketball players, surpassing even Michael Jordan. At least, it would go a long damn way in making that case.

There is a flip side to this. What if LeBron goes to the West with a solid but not super, star-studded supporting cast and gets bounced out in the first few rounds. What if he gets bounced out by a team not named the Warriors. Then I feel many would feel validated in their stance that a lot of LeBron’s repeated trips to the Finals and overall, statistical dominance was in fact due to picking on weaker competition.

LeBron could be rolling the dice not only with the Lakers organization but also potentially on how many of his record-breaking career accomplishments are looked at. Like I said previously, nothing will stop LeBron from being an all-time great player but this move might tell let us just HOW great LeBron James really is and was in all these years past.