LeBron James is already one of the sport’s most successful players in NBA history. He already has four championships, but he has an opportunity to win a fifth, potentially with Luka Doncic.
The NBA community knows that LeBron James has cemented his legacy as an all-time great. In fact, he and Michael Jordan have an unofficial rivalry for being the greatest player of all time. James has a solid argument, but he only has four championships compared to Jordan’s six.
Since he is still playing for the Los Angeles Lakers, James still has chances for more titles. That is mostly due to his playing with a superstar like Luka Doncic. However, people are throwing around hypotheticals about better teammates, including Joe Johnson.
He believes that James would be better off playing with Stephen Curry rather than Doncic.
Throughout James’ career, he has been an excellent player. However, no one can win a championship by himself, so James has had plenty of good teammates. That includes legends such as Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Kyrie Irving, and more.
As an excellent player himself, Johnson sees James thriving alongside many players. However, the idea of having James and Curry on the same team is one of the best ideas thrown around. Fans have always wanted them to play alongside each other, especially with their unique history of both being born in Akron, Ohio.
Their play styles synergize well with each other, as seen in the Paris Olympics in 2024. With that vision, Johnson thinks they could win a championship together.
“If I had to choose, I’m going Steph. Not only proven, but he’s just a guy who’s going to command, I’m talking about Steph, so much attention that LeBron will really get to play a natural position, which is more of a facilitator,” Johnson said on Nightcap.
“Yeah, he’s still probably going to score 22 to 25 points a night, but him facilitating, oh my god, his ability to pass the ball with Steph’s ability to move without the ball.”
Despite Johnson’s idea, James is a Lakers player. He is in the final year of his contract, which runs through the 2025-26 season. The Lakers have firmly committed to Doncic as their long-term star, but James is still here to help. He is still arguably a top-10 player despite being in his 40s.
They have communicated with each other , which is a good sign for the future. If James and Doncic are on the same page, the Lakers could be a surprise contender. Most people will pick the Oklahoma City Thunder as the favorites, but a James-led team always has a chance.
Doncic is learning well from James, and that should be a sign of good things to come. The long-term future depends on Doncic, but in the short term, James continues to stand out.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!