As LeBron James enters free agency, a gnawing joylessness prevails | Les Carpenter


The NBA’s best player could be on his way out of Cleveland (again) after declining his player option on Friday, but there’s something hollow about his thankless pursuit of Michael Jordan’s six titles

LeBron James, who declined his player option with the Cleveland Cavaliers and became a free agent on Friday, is a superstar in a predicament of his own making. He essentially created the culture of NBA stars teaming up to win championships, one that allowed Kevin Durant to make the Golden State Warriors a dynasty at his own expense. The unfortunate thing for James is he gets no credit.

While Durant is hailed as a selfless hero who stifled his ego to win two titles with the Warriors, LeBron is forever measured against a player from another era, a man who found the perfect team and the perfect coach. The cloud that shrouds LeBron’s legacy at age 32 is that he hasn’t become Michael Jordan.

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