“Your shelf life is when you can no longer compete at a high level. To me, the thing that gets you with a LeBron or a Brady or a Rodgers… is the dance.” That’s what Rob Parker said on “The Odd Couple” podcast, getting right to the main point of the biggest debate in the NBA right now. LeBron James is 40 years old, but he’s still amazing with his stats, playing like an All-Star and putting up numbers that don’t make sense for his age. At 40, LeBron is still a statistical marvel. But after another disappointing early playoff exit and some mysterious power moves behind the scenes, critics are asking a tough question: Is LeBron’s huge contract and all the constant drama around him actually holding the Los Angeles Lakers back? And why isn’t his longtime rival, Stephen Curry, who’s only a few years younger, getting the same kind of criticism?
The “dance,” as Parker calls it, began the moment LeBron James opted into his massive $52.6 million player option for his 23rd season. The decision itself wasn’t a shock, but the statement that came with it from his agent, Rich Paul, was a masterclass in calculated ambiguity. “LeBron wants to compete for a championship,” Paul said, before adding that they still need to “evaluate what’s best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career.” It felt like both a promise and a warning, a public way to put pressure on the Lakers’ front office.
This is where the debate ignites. For critics like Rob Parker and his co-host Martin Weiss, the issue isn’t LeBron’s age; it’s his behavior. “The idea that LeBron right now is kind of being disingenuous… you locked in for this $51.6 [$52.6] million dollar option and now are playing the basically the same playbook,” Parker argued. Weiss took it a step further, pointing to LeBron’s massive salary as the real problem. “The issue is now it’s the $51 million,” he said. “If LeBron was playing for $14 million—the mid-level exception—we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
And the numbers, at least in some ways, back them up. While LeBron’s raw stats are still impressive, his on-court impact has been a subject of intense debate. As Parker noted, his plus-minus in the playoffs was a staggering -54, one of the worst on the team. It’s a brutal statistic that has led analysts like Paul Pierce to argue that the Lakers can no longer build a championship team around him and Luka Dončić.
Feb 10, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) and forward LeBron James (23) on the court in the first half against the Utah Jazz at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
“When you got Luka, LeBron, Reaves, to me, they got three defensive liabilities,” Pierce said on SPEAK. “These are your two best players, and they’re probably your two worst defenders.” Paul Pierce even said, “I don’t believe you can build a championship around Luka and LeBron.” It’s a tough situation, one that has put the Lakers in a nearly impossible spot. And it’s a situation that, for now, Stephen Curry has completely managed to avoid. While Weiss offered a simple defense based on age, noting that at 36, Curry is younger and hasn’t played as many years, Parker stuck to his guns.
And in a way Parker is right, Steph’s game hasn’t aged dramatically—his style doesn’t rely on sheer athleticism but on timing, vision, and elite shooting. More importantly, he hasn’t demanded constant recalibration from his franchise. As Parker put it, “No one is saying that Steph Curry has overstayed his welcome. He’s just as old as these guys. Like no one is saying that about Steph Curry.”
That’s the main point of the argument. LeBron James might still be one of the good players in the league. But the Lakers aren’t just paying for his performance—they’re paying for the drama, the demands, and all the attention. And at this point in his career, some people wonder if it’s still worth the price. This offseason, though, LeBron has also been looking at life outside of basketball.
From rivals to golf buddies—how Steph and LeBron are navigating their final chapters
As trade rumors swirled around LeBron, he posted a video of himself on a golf course, taking his first few swings at a new hobby. Curry immediately commented on the post, “Welcome. We’ve been waiting for you .” And everyone knows how much Curry loves golf. So, this moment showed how two huge rivals are quietly moving from competing against each other to being more like friends.
Their relationship, which used to be all about intense Finals matchups, has gotten softer in recent years. From being teammates on Team USA to winning Olympic gold together in Paris 2024, Curry and LeBron have changed from opponents into something close to a ‘bromance’ as fans have been putting it. But even here, the difference is clear.
While LeBron is publicly putting pressure on his team and causing trade rumors, Steph has settled into a different kind of role. He’s a family man. According to his father, Dell, Steph’s intense workout routine, which he does twice a day, is built around his family’s schedule. “You have to get up before the kids get up… get them off to school, get to the gym… pick them up… get them to bed, and then he goes back to the gym again,” Dell explained.
LeBron, however, seems to be struggling with what his own legacy means. At the Fanatics Fest in New York, he was on stage with Tom Brady, who gave him some touching advice about how hard it is mentally to play into your 40s. “At some point, you crave a little breathing room,” Brady said, talking about how family and life outside of sports pull at you. For LeBron, a man who is also building a huge global business empire, that “breathing room” is becoming more and more appealing, especially as reports of Savannah James wanting LeBron to retire are surfacing.
Paris 2024 Olympics – Basketball – Women’s Quarterfinal – Nigeria vs United States – Bercy Arena, Paris, France – August 07, 2024. US Basketball player LeBron James and his wife Savannah James are seen in the stands. REUTERS/Brian Snyder
And that might just be the real distinction between these two legends. Not ambition. Not effort. Not legacy. But timing. While Steph seems content with the rhythm of his career and life, LeBron remains at a crossroads—caught between a final push for greatness and the next chapter waiting just off the green. Whatever path they choose, both men have already redefined what longevity, excellence, and leadership look like in the modern NBA.
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