Ron Harper Mocks LeBron James’ GOAT Candidature With Bubble Ring Slander

Michael Jordan's former teammate and 5-time NBA champion Ron Harper isn't willing to lower standards for LeBron James.

Ron Harper Mocks LeBron James’ GOAT Candidature With Bubble Ring Slander

Ron Harper, LeBron James (FS Image)

When LeBron James won the Lakers their 17th NBA title in October 2020, his GOAT candidacy was inescapable. Many believed that he would eventually win a championship or two more, matching the legacies of Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. However, things didn’t go exactly as planned for the Lakers in the last five years. The team finds itself without a Finals appearance since the NBA bubble got over.

James suffered the first first-round exit of his playoff career in 2021 after Anthony Davis went down injured. The following season, the Lakers found themselves out of even play-in contention after finishing 11th in the West. Though the Lakers staged a comeback to relevance in 22-23 and made a Conference Finals series, they were swept by the Nuggets at that stage, and gentleman swept in 2023-24 as well.

After their latest first-round exit at the hands of Anthony Edwards and co, the Lakers are licking their wounds. The team is clearly missing a few pieces needed to contend for a championship. Former Laker Kentavious Caldwell-Pope believes that LeBron James could’ve easily won more championships had he and other members of the 2020 championship roster been retained for a longer period.

That team, we had a lot of moments where everything just clicked for us. Off the court, on the court, inviting to each other’s houses, we were just hanging out with each other. Those were my brothers, I spent more time with my team than my family… I think if we kept that team together, we would’ve run off two more… There would be no more GOAT talk, that would’ve put [LeBron] at six.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope on the 2019-20 Lakers roster and LeBron James’ GOAT candidacy

However, former Bulls guard and All-Star Ron Harper Sr had something to say about this. The five-time NBA champion does know a thing or two about going toe-to-toe with Michael Jordan. Being from MJ’s era, Harper Sr has a more detailed perspective on how James and Jordan are different. He mocked the statement made by KCP, saying

What 2020 title the bubble gum ring?

Ron Harper Sr tweeted

While it is easy to dismiss Harper’s words as biased and reductive, many NBA fans legitimately feel the same. The Lakers’ championship in 2020 is often downplayed because the postseason wasn’t played out in front of live fans.

What would LeBron James’ career look like with the 2019-20 roster?

The Lakers’ first steps in dismantling their old roster were not re-signing veterans Rajon Rondo and Dwight Howard for 2020-21. They then traded Danny Green away for Dennis Schroder. They added Marc Gasol in place of Howard for the 2020-21 season as frontcourt help for Anthony Davis. None of these players were consequential in the playoff exit. KCP himself was then traded away in the Russell Westbrook deal.

Even if the Lakers had kept their roster intact, the main reason they lost in 2021 was injury to AD. Even if James had had the supporting cast from their previous season, he likely would’ve lost to the Suns. And even if that didn’t materialize, the Lakers’ prospects would be dim had they faced a fully-fit Nets team. It is wishful to think that the Lakers would absolutely have sealed more championships.

The NBA will have seven different champions in seven straight seasons for the first time in the 3-point era. It is the era where rosters can rise to the top fast – with the OKC Thunder and Indiana Pacers being cases in point. The Lakers’ playoff exit this year is just another footnote in league history.

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