Letters: Readers agree — LeBron James can leave the Lakers

Lakers forward LeBron James dribbles the ball up the court.

Published Dec. 30, 2022 Updated Dec. 31, 2022 11:24 AM PT

For once, Bill Plaschke went light on the hyperbole and created an accurate image of who LeBron James has become. Simply put, “rebuild without him” is not only the right answer, it is the only answer.

Too bad James isn’t likely to be gone before he breaks Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s scoring record. That date won’t give Lakers fans much to cheer about.

“See ya” will.

Barry Bauling
Calabasas

The Lakers should just trade LeBron James. It is a team sport, and he is crying about everything. For a guy who doesn’t play defense and stands around and doesn’t move, he doesn’t have room to talk about everyone else and their lack of play. He whines on every foul on the court. All he wants to do is take the ball up the court to get more personal stats.

James Simpson
Newport Beach

LeBron is concerned about losing. Yet it is his turnovers, no defense and poor shot selection that are hurting the team. He wanted Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook on the team. Davis is a part-time player, and Westbrook is an expensive mediocre player. Jeanie Buss gave Rob Pelinka a contract extension recently, which indicates she doesn’t hold him totally responsible for the current roster and the team’s problems.

Bernie Kovach
Harbor City

I have my own business and do not want any employee who does not want to work for me. They do not put forth maximum effort, are defeated and negatively influence the morale as well as others’ performances. It is time to call LeBron’s bluff and let him go elsewhere. The organization needs to understand they own the team and call the shots. Not LeBron.

Flora Perry
Los Angeles

OK, I’ll say it. Signing LeBron was the worst decision in Lakers history. Don’t get me wrong, I love to watch him play and really appreciate how dominant he can be. But we’ve mortgaged our present and future on trying to assemble a team around him. The plan is not working and puts us further and further from championship contention as every year passes.

Vincent Martinez
South Pasadena

What a stark contrast of character displayed on the front page of Thursday’s Sports section. On one side a moving tribute to Roberto Clemente, a great ballplayer and greater humanitarian who always thought of others before himself. One column over, a whining LeBron James, speaking to reporters about himself and his own greatness.

Rhys Thomas
Valley Glen

We are approaching the 10th anniversary of the death of Jerry Buss. We are also approaching the 10th anniversary of the slow and steady demise of a once-great sport franchise.

In one way, it’s quite a tribute to Mr. Buss that the Lakers have been able to retain the hearts and dollars of their large and loyal fan base after so many years of failure. If not for the attractive Lakers brand, the team would have been the laughingstock of the league much sooner. The franchise has almost sunk to the level of the Donald Sterling Clippers days.

This season, I have finally given up on the Lakers. Fortunately, we have another local NBA team that has a Jerry Buss-type owner. Like Jerry Buss, Steve Ballmer doesn’t pretend to be a basketball genius. He just loves the sport and his team and he hires the best people to figure out how to win.

Fred Gober
Playa Vista

No defense for Bruins

Well, the “exciting” Sun Bowl treated its viewers to perhaps the worst, most mistake-ridden football game I have ever seen. There were mistakes by both teams on offense and defense, coaching mistakes and horrendous officiating. But it did have an appropriate ending, with the miserable UCLA defense allowing Pitt to drive for a game-winning field goal in just 34 seconds with no timeouts. You can’t make this stuff up!

Alan Abajian
Alta Loma

Defense wins games. Defense wins championships. Same old story for the Bruins. There is no “D” in “U-C-L-A” and a lack of a decent defense has haunted the UCLA football program for far too many decades. The final 34 seconds of the Sun Bowl were pathetic and sadly completely typical once again. Nothing ever changes.

James Schweitzer
Brea

After five years in what was supposed to be the pinnacle of an upwardly trending football program, coach Chip Kelly’s record is a less-than-mediocre 27-29, the attendance is trending to an all-time low, and the coach covers his failure to recruit blue-chip high school players with the slogan “team building.” The athletic director must finally act.

Jon Udell
Santa Monica

Bauer conundrum

We’re actually having conversations about bringing back Trevor Bauer? It has been heartbreaking to hear Dodgers fans taking his suspension for domestic violence with a grain of salt because he’s a good pitcher. There are dozens of good pitchers in MLB that don’t assault women. But shame on the Dodgers for signing him in the first place when they knew about his bad character and questionable behavior.

It’s bad enough they couldn’t nail down a deal with Justin Turner, winner of the Roberto Clemente Award last season. But people want to bring back Trevor Bauer? In the long shot the Dodgers bring him back, they’ll have a lot of explaining to do to the Dodgers fans who have been victims of sexual assault and domestic abuse.

Andrea Bremser
Los Angeles

As a youngster, people were perceived to be innocent until proven guilty. Nowadays, it seems as if you are guilty until proven innocent. As far as I can tell, in the court of law, Trevor Bauer is innocent. In the court of public opinion, Bauer is perceived as guilty, and with that the Dodgers will end up releasing Trevor Bauer. My how our world has changed.

Chris Sorce
Fountain Valley

It may now be time to canvass the players on the team about Trevor Bauer. No one likes what they have heard about his behavior. No one wants to say that winning is all that matters. But are public relations all that matter on the other side of the question? Remembering that Bauer was not charged or prosecuted, and we are in America, we must ask: Do we completely remove a person’s ability to apply their skills of livelihood upon an allegation?

Scott W. Hamre
Cherry Valley

If history has taught us anything, there’s only one team who would sign Trevor Bauer.

The Raiders.

Paul Feinsinger
Agoura Hills

SoFi Stadium trouble

The elephant in the room that no one outwardly discusses involving SoFi Stadium is that it has become a drunken, brawling free-for-all among the fans, especially during Rams games.

I know one of the female staff, who was picked up off the ground and then body slammed by a drunken fan who was trying to enter one of the clubs without a proper pass. He got inside and was eventually kicked out. And that’s not a one-time occurrence.

Multiple fights and brawls every game are the norm — five or more per game.

Not a good sign for the future of SoFi.

Hank White
Los Angeles

City flavor

Thanks to Eric Sondheimer for naming Dijon Stanley the high school football player of the year.

By highlighting Stanley and other great players from City Section schools, hopefully kids and parents will see that you can play in their neighborhood schools with friends and still win accolades and get scholarships. They don’t have to drive two hours across town to a new district just for the chance of maybe advancing. With the transfer portal wide open, all a kid needs to do is get on a college team. If you have what it takes, the big schools will find you.

Jeff Heister
Chatsworth

Bravo, Ekeler

Jeff Miller’s feature on the incredible accomplishments and drive of the inimitable Austin Ekeler was a great gift to readers on Christmas Day. A true leader and a humble athlete of uncommon ability, Ekeler stands as a remarkable role model, a beacon of positivity and an exemplar of what determination can reap.

John Jacobs
Los Angeles

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