Channing Frye makes prediction on what happens if LeBron James announces LA Lakers retirement

Channing Frye says LeBron James’ retirement would put ‘NBA in a chokehold’

Frye, who played alongside James for the Cleveland Cavaliers, is unsure about what his “decision of all decisions” is. Frye predicted significant consequences for the NBA if this is the end of the road for James.

Speaking on The Sports Reporters, he said, “If it is his last year, he’s gonna put the NBA in a chokehold. Every show is gonna be LeBron highlights, Lakers gonna be on every single station.

“And doing it right before the season, the ticket prices are going to soar. I think for him the Lakers are solid, they are a top 10 in the West at least, why not?

“What more are you playing for? They are not going to get better next year.”

Frye also made some alternate predictions about what James’ announcement could be. He continued: “Is he buying a team, is he signing to a network? Is he joining some other billionaires to do other billionaire things? We got to think bigger.”

Tickets to Kobe Bryant’s final game with the Lakers were as much as $26,500, so expect prices for James’ potential retirement tour to skyrocket as fans clamor for one last chance to see one of the NBA’s all-time greats in action.

Channing Frye shares concerns about future of NBA without LeBron James

Since being drafted as “The Chosen One” in 2003, James has been the talk of the NBA. His dominance during the 2010s saw him in the Finals for eight straight seasons. He has been the hero, the villain, and everything in between.

As the face of the league, James has carried the NBA for 22 years. That concerns Frye, who said there isn’t a figure that can replicate James’ polarization moving forward.

Frye explained: “In reality, no one in the league is polarizing like that. Luka [Doncic] is great, hasn’t won. Joel Embiid is great, haven’t won.

“Is Giannis [Antetokounmpo] going to get back there? [Victor Wembanyama] hasn’t won. Who is next to say, “Give me that backpack, I’m going to go to the NBA Finals three, four, five, six years in a row”?”

Frye makes a good point. We live in a world of NBA parity, where different teams rise into contention every season. While that’s great for the competitiveness of the league from top to bottom, it doesn’t allow for running storylines from season to season.

The NBA needs a player to love or hate, and that comes with winning. So who will fill the power vacuum left by James if this really is the end?

Doncic can take James’ crown by leading the Lakers to a championship. Meanwhile, Wembanyama looks dominant in preseason. For the future of the league, one of the young superstars needs a historically great season.