The Los Angeles Lakers battled hard during their entire 2023 playoff run and ultimately ran into the best team in the NBA. Few fans were mad with how the squad went out and if anything, many started to appreciate what LeBron James was able to accomplish with this group at 38-years-old.
A number of missed dunks, a serious foot injury and a retirement hint showed the basketball world that James is human and ages just like everybody else. However, he did everything he could and willed the squad to the postseason despite starting off the year 2-10. It felt like everybody was trying to break his mind along the way including Grizzlies guard Dillon Brooks and Nuggets head coach Mike Malone.
The whole ordeal with Brooks was expected… he had done it with other players plenty of times before and the two are actually on the court together battling it out. However, people started to take note of the numerous jabs that Malone was taking at LA during and after their series and it just kept going on.
Malone clearly could not stand the fact that the Lakers were getting so much media coverage during the Western Conference Finals as if they do not play for one of the biggest markets in the world. He also continued talking about how everybody needs to move on from them during and after the NBA Finals.
Fans speculated that James responded to Malone in a cryptic Instagram caption and now Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson is reporting that The King is not happy with the champion head coach and is seeking revenge in the 2023-2024 season.
“LeBron James is pissed with Michael Malone and will use next season as motivation, I’m told. I also discuss what I’ve heard more recently on LeBron James in Dallas & why LeBron James’ thought process on retiring is different now Vs. When retirement talk was discussed.”