After LeBron James and the Lakers fell well short of a championship run in this year’s NBA playoffs, ex-Celtics great Paul Pierce said the two sides should split up.
“If the Lakers want to get back to being a championship contender moving forward, you have to get out of the constraints of the LeBron era,” Pierce said on FS1’s “Speak.”
“He’s had a grasp of the whole organization, bear-hugging them for so long now,” Pierce continued. “He’s done some wonderful things for the organization … But they have to say, ‘Bron, we appreciate your services. I think we should move on.’ Tough conversation.”
Pierce’s opinion comes with the Lakers picking up the pieces following a first-round loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, spoiling rookie head coach JJ Redick’s inaugural season in Los Angeles and casting doubt on how successful the team will be after acquiring Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis in a trade during the year.
Instead of sparking a run through the postseason, James and Doncic were overmatched by the young and athletic Timberwolves.
James, 40, has said he intends to play “at least” another season.
His son, Bronny, was on the Lakers’ roster for much of the season.
In a stacked Western Conference, even James and Doncic don’t guarantee success.
Doncic is expected to take over as the face of the franchise whenever James leaves, but it’s anyone’s guess when that might happen.