"If LeBron has opted in, it's not a championship team" - Colin Cowherd calls LeBron out for hurting the Lakers' chances originally appeared on Basketball Network .
At first glance, LeBron James ' decision to opt into the final year of his contract was a much-needed boost for fans, especially on a day when the Los Angeles Lakers ' most notable free-agent addition was 23-year-old power forward Jake LaRavia .
A deeper look into the development, though, painted a bleak picture for the Purple and Gold. According to popular broadcaster and sports commentator Colin Cowherd, King James' decision to lock up a huge chunk of the team's payroll cripples the Lakers' chances of nabbing solid rotation players this offseason — something they need, especially after their flaws were exposed in their first-round playoff loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves .
LeBron's return bolsters the Lakers with a powerhouse starting lineup, featuring the iconic star alongside fellow basketball phenom Luka Doncic . This dynamic All-Star duo will join forces with skilled playmaker Austin Reaves and prolific scorer Rui Hachimura , solidifying the Lakers as serious contenders in the highly competitive Western Conference.
What the team sorely needs, though, are reliable centers. But with a lot of money tied up in LeBron and upcoming financial commitments required to keep Luka and Austin, the Lakers find themselves in a tough spot trying to shore up their roster.
"When you do this, knowing the Lakers need at least two centers, two, that's what Oklahoma City has, that's what the Knicks have, that's what the better teams in the league have. They've got a couple of bigs," Colin asserted on "The Herd."
In addition, with solid "3-and-D" wingman Dorian Finney-Smith departing for the Houston Rockets , the Lakers now need wing defenders to make up for the renowned defensive deficiencies of Luka.
"They need two wing defenders, and you can't do it if you're taking maxes because they've got to pay Luka this summer. Austin Reaves just declined money, and they tell everybody they love Austin Reaves, so you're going to have to pay him," Cowherd stressed. "So you're going to have to pay Luka, and I'm told you're going to eventually pay Austin Reaves. If LeBron has opted in, it's not a championship team."
The King's decision to take the guaranteed money instead of helping the Lakers gain some financial flexibility to upgrade its roster has raised legitimate questions about where LeBron's mind is at right now. The soon-to-be-41 forward remains an elite hooper, one of the best in the game. But at his age, he's far from being the type of player a franchise can depend on night in and night out.
"So again, what is it? Are you about winning? Because I've seen (Shohei) Ohtani take pay cuts, and Josh Allen, and Tom Brady, and Tim Duncan, and Jalen Brunson. That's about winning. Tom did it for winning. He was the best quarterback in the world, and he kept taking pay cuts," Cowherd continued.
Colin emphasized that he nor anyone else is taking it against LeBron for not taking what's rightfully his. At the same time, he implored the all-time great to be clear about what his intentions are now that he's in the twilight of his career.
"When you're telling me ring culture doesn't matter and you're telling me it's all about winning—no, it's not," he expressed. "So I'm just saying: just be of your word. Do rings matter? Of course they do. Does money matter more than winning at this point? Absolutely, yes, it does."
"By the way, Kobe Bryant wanted every penny to the end, but he was honest about it. He was authentic about it. There are multiple quotes about it. Just be honest with us. That's all we're asking," Cowherd added.
Though it's early in the free agency period, the Lakers are already stuck between a rock and a hard place. They have so many holes to plug but only so much money to go around.
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This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
