Fans of the Los Angeles Lakers would be gutted after the Denver Nuggets eliminated them in the first round of the 2024 playoffs. The reigning champions made light work of LeBron James and Co., securing a 4-1 series victory. Despite the numbers indicating a dominating Nuggets win, it was anything but that. The Lakers gave the reigning champs a run for their money, and the fiercely competitive Game 5 is a prime example of that.
The Lakers have held leads in every game of the series at halftime, and Game 5 was no different. LA led by a point going into halftime, but they just couldn’t keep up with Denver’s brilliance. LeBron James did everything in his power to lead the Lakers to a victory, as he recorded 30 points, 11 assists, and 9 rebounds. However, a clutch mid-range jumper by Jamal Murray ended LA’s hopes, and they eventually lost the game by a scoreline of 108-106.
Despite the brilliant basketball on offer, what garnered significant attention on social media was an altercation between LeBron and a female Nuggets fan. During the 3rd quarter, the refs called a foul on LeBron James, which he didn’t agree with and started complaining. Pouncing at the opportunity, a female fan started trash-talking LeBron. She could be heard saying, “You’re a f**king crybaby.” James didn’t take kindly to this, and reacted with a jump-scare towards the fans. In a leaked video, he could be heard saying, “Scary a**.”
The end of their 2023–24 campaign means that LeBron James is no longer contracted to the Los Angeles Lakers. However, this doesn’t mean the end of the road for LeBron and the Lakers, as he has a player option worth $51.4 million for the 2024–25 season. However, after Game 5, LeBron didn’t comment on his future, saying, “I don’t have an answer … to be honest. I haven’t given it much thought.” He further stated that he would sit down with his family and Rich Paul to figure out “what’s best for my career.”
The Los Angeles Lakers would certainly want to keep a hold of LeBron James. According to some reports, the Lakers’ hierarchy are even willing to offer him a three-year contract extension worth $164 million. Furthermore, they would even select Bronny James in the 2024 NBA Draft if LeBron decides to remain a Laker.
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