LeBron James started off this NBA season wanting better for himself and the Los Angeles Lakers. Despite the presence of Russell Westbrook and a poorly put-together roster, there was hope that LeBron could lift this team out of a hole. In the first four games of the season, this has proven to be unequivocally false. The team is sitting at 0-4, and things are only getting worse.
James' individual performances have been fine, but it is clear that the team's bench is simply awful. As currently presented, this Lakers team is not cut out for the playoffs. They would have to make a big trade, and even then, they are probably looking at the play-in round. It is a harsh reality that LeBron and the Lakers need to grapple with, moving forward.
That said, LeBron is listening to the criticism, and it appears to be getting to him. LeBron is one of those players who likely lives on Twitter but mostly stays in the shadows. Instead of pulling out the burner accounts, he simply internalizes things and responds via Instagram. That is precisely what he did yesterday as he posted a video of himself dunking against the Nuggets. As you will see, this post contained an interesting caption, that speaks to how LeBron is feeling right now.
"How long will you be taken for granted…..Keep going kid," LeBron wrote. Clearly, LeBron is taking all of this very personally. It should be noted that this isn't exactly his fault. He is playing on a horrible team that has been horrifically crafted by Rob Pelinka, who obviously did not deserve that massive extension.
This is an embarrassing time for LeBron and the Lakers. It is going to take a lot of effort to work through, and there is no guarantee that they will. Having said that, if there is any player in the league who can work through it, it is LeBron James.