Poor King James feels he lacks respect

By David Mullen

LeBron James is looking for respect.

After the Los Angeles Lakers won their 17th NBA championship in the odd, pandemic-fused 2019-20 season played in Bubbletown, USA, aka Orlando, he wanted his third career team (LA after Miami and two stints in Cleveland) to receive some “damn respect.” 

But while he was at it, James begged for his own level of recognition. James was asking for a little respect. Just a little bit. 

“I want my damn respect, too,” James pled.

 Let’s do the math. James just signed a two-year contract extension for more than $85 million. He will make nearly $40 million this year. And that doesn’t count the millions of dollars in endorsement deals. The entire NBA is built around James. A sports network — ESPN — is dedicated to his every move. Social media awaits his every word. 

King James doesn’t need more respect. He needs a bigger fiefdom.

Without the bubble (for now), the league is imposing strict penalties against teams found in violation of the COVID-19 protocols. The league released a 158-page “Health and Safety” guide. The odds of the privileged players reading the document are even worse than the chances of the New York Knicks winning the 2020-21 NBA Championship.

Punishment for teams not adhering to protocol include fines and suspensions, forfeiture of draft picks and possibly even games.

Among the rules according to NBA guru Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who probably read the document, are that on road trips players and teams can dine at “approved restaurants” in “fully privatized space.” McDonalds is the official restaurant sponsor of the NBA. Does a PlayPlace qualify as a “fully privatized space?”

At home, players and staff are not allowed to enter bars, lounges, clubs and live entertainment venues. I assume that includes strip clubs, which will make Los Angeles Clippers guard Lou Williams quite verklempt. 

Gaming venues, public gyms, spas, pool areas or large indoor social gatherings (15 or more people) are also prohibited. But there are 15 players on a team roster, plus coaches and other personnel, which would mean that practices should be prohibited.

 Like their baseball brethren Blue Jays, the Toronto Raptors have to travel to their “home” games. Due to COVID-19 restrictions in Ontario, Canada, the Raptors will now play in nearby Tampa, Fla., a mere 2,150 km away. 

The NBA will conduct no random player tests for marijuana in the 2020-21 season, lending new meaning to the basketball term “pick and roll.” That may be why McDonalds continues to be the official restaurant sponsor of the NBA. 

Preseason games have begun. The first half of a scheduled 72-game regular season (instead of the normal 82-games) has been announced and begins on Tuesday, Dec. 22. The Dallas Mavericks play the Lakers on Christmas Day (7 p.m. on ABC), proving the TV drawing power of Mavs MVP candidate Luka Doncic. Now Dasher and Dancer can watch Doncic in prime time.  

Aside from the aforementioned changes, much of the NBA remains the same as last season. The playoffs will begin with 16 of the 30 teams qualifying. Teams will have to manage a $110 million salary cap for 15 players despite any appreciable ticket revenue. 

James Harden still wants to be traded. Instead, the Rockets traded everyone else including guard Russell Westbrook, who went to Washington for John Wall. The Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets will be “surprise teams,” even though Denver made the 2020 Western Conference Finals.

The Sacramento Kings and the Phoenix Suns (now with a rejuvenated Chris Paul) will also “surprise,” despite rebuilding for years. The Clippers will remain an anomaly and play second fiddle to the Lake Show in LA as always. Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson is hurt and out for the season. Again. And Mavericks power forward Kristaps Porzingis is also injured again and will begin the season rehabilitating after knee surgery. The more things change …

But the Mavericks are one reason to watch the NBA this year and not just because of Cool Hand Luka. Coach Rick Carlisle has his kind of team; a combination of skilled role players and unselfish personalities.

 Dallas drafted shrewdly getting Josh Green, Tyrell Terry and Tyler Bey. Dwight Powell and Jalen Brunson will be back from season-ending injuries, adding toughness. Dallas signed Josh Richardson for his defense and James Johnson for his versatility (he can shoot three-pointers) and as a possible bodyguard for owner Mark Cuban. Johnson has a black belt in mixed martial arts.

The Mavs may still be a year or two away. But they are set up for a long and successful run.  

The Miami Heat snuck up on the rest of the NBA Eastern Conference last season on the strength of Jimmy Butler and greatly underappreciated head coach Erik Spoelstra. Injuries plagued the conference, keeping the Milwaukee Bucks with “The Greek Freak” Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Brooklyn Nets with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant from competing for the title. The Boston Celtics, Indiana Pacers and Raptors were missing pieces to be relevant in the end. Barring another Heat-like revival, the Bucks are still the team to beat, although Las Vegas loves the Nets.

Soon to be 36 (on December 30), this might be the first professional season where a team is not built around James. The Lakers went out and got better in the shortened off-season. They secured star Anthony Davis to a five-year deal for $190 million. They signed Wesley Matthews, Montrezl Harrell and Marc Gasol in free agency and got Dennis Schroder via trade. The rich got richer.

The Lakers will repeat as NBA champions and James will be a part of his fifth championship team. Raised by a single parent in Akron, Ohio, James joined the NBA at 18, is sought after for opinions on a myriad of subjects despite a high school education, is nicknamed the “King” and is a man who has risen to the epitome of recognition and fortune. 

Still, James feels he doesn’t get enough respect, although he gets more than any professional athlete. He should not let his fame go to his crown.