LeBron James, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar, is playing a slightly different role for Team USA this summer than he does in the NBA.
In an Olympic exhibition game between Team USA and Canada on Wednesday, James had seven points, five rebounds, three assists, three steals, and one block. It was a stat line reminiscent of Draymond Green, and the performance appeared to have prompted at least one NBA icon to consider how long James could stay in the league if he played in a Green-like position.
Surrounded by fellow icons and superstars on Team USA, James will not have to carry the same load this summer as he does in the NBA. While James may have to take over at times, no one should expect him to average 27.1 points per game — his NBA career average — while with Team USA this summer.
Lord! Bron could play 10 more years in a Draymond role. 💯 🇺🇸 🫡
— Kevin Garnett (@KevinGarnett5KG) July 11, 2024
Rather, his responsibility is to strive to fit into a role that benefits him, his colleagues, and Team USA as a whole. There is plenty of superstar talent on the roster, including Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Joel Embiid, and others.
The concept of James attempting to extend his NBA career by playing a role similar to Green’s with the Golden State Warriors is intriguing, but it is unlikely to happen for a number of reasons.
For starters, James has strongly hinted that his career is coming to an end, and he is unlikely to want to play for another ten years.
Two, while James is one of the best all-around players in NBA history, Green possesses an extremely rare defensive skill set, and James would likely struggle to match Green’s value in that area.
Ultimately, Garnett is undoubtedly aware of all of this — but it’s still entertaining to picture James playing in the NBA in his mid- to late 40s.
The future Hall of Famer is focused on helping Team USA win gold in the Olympics this summer. After that, he’ll focus on the next NBA season, where he hopes to assist the Lakers return to title contention.
