Lakers

Kevin Garnett: LeBron James could play 10 more years in a Draymond Green role

Published by
Jason Simpson

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James is playing a bit of a different role for Team USA this summer than the one he typically plays in the NBA.

In an Olympic exhibition game on Wednesday between Team USA and Canada, James dropped seven points, five rebounds, three assists, three steals and one block. It was a Draymond Green-esque stat line, and the performance seemingly caused at least one NBA legend to think about how long James could remain in the NBA if he took on a Green-type role.

Surrounded by fellow legends and superstars on Team USA, James won’t need to carry the type of load this summer that he has often shouldered in the NBA. While there may be times where James has to take over, nobody should be expecting him to average 27.1 points per game — his career average in the NBA — during his time with Team USA this summer.

Rather, his job is to try to fit into a role that works best for him, his teammates and Team USA as a whole. With players like Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Joel Embiid and others on the roster, there is no shortage of superstar talent.

The idea of James trying to extend his NBA career by mirroring Green’s role with the Golden State Warriors is an interesting one, but it probably isn’t realistic for a couple of reasons.

One, James has heavily implied that his career is nearing an end — and he probably wouldn’t even be interested in playing for 10 more years.

Two, while James is one of the best all-around players in NBA history, Green has a defensive skill set that is exceptionally rare, and James would likely struggle to be as valuable as Green in that regard.

Ultimately, Garnett likely knows all that — but it’s still fun to imagine James playing in the NBA in his mid-to-late 40s.

The future Hall of Famer is focused on helping Team USA win gold at the Olympics this summer. After that, he’ll turn his attention to the upcoming NBA season, where he’ll look to help the Lakers return to title contention.

Jason Simpson

Jason is a copy writer and editor with experience covering professional sports and current events. He is excited about being a part of the Ahn Fire Digital team.

Published by
Jason Simpson

Recent Posts

Hall of Famer claims Steph Curry would’ve averaged 17 PPG or less in his era: ‘We would’ve hurt him’

An anonymous Hall of Famer allegedly told ESPN's Stephen A. Smith that if Golden State…

15 hours ago

Report: NBA GM believed Grizzlies would have had to shop Ja Morant this summer before they fired Taylor Jenkins

Earlier on in the year, long before the Memphis Grizzlies dismissed Taylor Jenkins after he…

2 days ago

Ja Morant opens up about Grizzlies firing Taylor Jenkins: ‘It’s tough for me’

Guard Ja Morant suited up for the first time since the Memphis Grizzlies fired Taylor…

3 days ago

Tyrese Haliburton on ‘easy decision’ to name SGA MVP: ‘If you took a player poll, I’m sure he would win’

Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has a compelling case to win this season's MVP…

4 days ago

Report: ‘Early expectation’ is that Clint Capela will sign elsewhere this summer

Big man Clint Capela is in his fifth season playing for the Atlanta Hawks, and…

6 days ago

Stephen A. says LeBron is in his feelings: ‘Could it be because I don’t believe you’re the G.O.A.T.?’

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith claimed on Wednesday that if his confrontation with Los Angeles Lakers…

7 days ago