Lebron headed for unfamiliar territory

Could be left out of post-season altogether

York Knicks have furiously tanked to improve their draft prospects and clear cap space for use in July, it is no secret that their first target will be Kevin Durant. With Durant already having a couple of titles, and a pair of Finals MVP awards, on his resume — with more to possibly come this year — the theory is that he would go to the Knicks to try to revive the once-storied franchise. What bigger impact could a basketball player have than by restoring glory to the team in the NBA’S biggest market?

It’s a theory, anyway. But Lebron’s foray to Los Angeles is shaping up like a sirens-flashing, alarms-ringing cautionary tale. If someone as talented as him falls on his face after joining a roster full of unproven players like those on the Lakers, what would that say about the prospects of one great player turning around the Knicks? It was just weeks ago that Lebron and the Lakers looked like the favourites to land Anthony Davis and turn themselves into title contenders, but recent events have instead played out like an antidote to the player-empowerment era: what if a star player goes to a new team, and he ends up the only star there? Presumably players like Kyrie Irving and Kawhi Leonard are also taking note. Or at least they should be.

It is true that the bungled situation involving Davis has probably hurt the Lakers as much as James’ injury did. When essentially the whole roster discovers it could be traded for the New Orleans star just as soon as Pelicans management relents to his wishes, there is bound to be some fallout, chemistry-wise.

But it is also true that the Lakers are a living example of what happens when a team goes after a big star — and assumes the rest of the roster can be patched together with chicken wire, scotch tape and bubble gum. Against Milwaukee on Friday night, Los Angeles played relatively inspired basketball, but their holes were glaring. The Bucks didn’t bother to defend weak-shooting Rajon Rondo, and he repeatedly found himself so wide open on the perimeter that he had no choice but to shoot. Rondo, who has averaged a little more than one threepoint attempt per game over his 12-year career, launched seven of them in the first six-plus minutes of the first quarter. He made one.

The Lakers overcame that ugliness and hung around all game, and were up by two with 2:30 left. And then: turnover, turnover, turnover, miss, miss, miss. The Bucks would win by 11.

Lebron James has averaged 27 points, seven assists and seven rebounds a game for his career. This season: 27, eight and eight. Over the last two games: 29, 13 and eight. Both losses. Lebron has been Lebron. And it is not close to being enough.