“The beginning of LeBron’s departure from the Lakers has begun…That departure could be into retirement. That departure could be another. But another way is on the table. I don’t know how it’s going to play out,” said Brian Windhorst recently. By this time last week, ‘another way’ was not even being considered. That all changed when LeBron James opted into his $52.6 million player option, and his agent Rich Paul announced that the NBA All-Time Scorer would be open to leaving the team if he feels he can’t win another championship with them. With the Lakers focused on long-term improvements around Luka Doncic, it is a good possibility that LeBron’s tenure with the Lakers ends with an exit, and thereby on bad terms. Even in that scenario, however, Doug Gottlieb believes the player’s legacy as a Laker will not be discarded, but cherished.

The Fox Sports basketball analyst recently touched base on the Lakers’ recent trades and LeBron James’ potential exit. He speculated that just because LeBron will leave the Lakers to fulfill his championship desires, “doesn’t mean they won’t put a statue up front”. After all, there was one other star player who did not leave the Lakers on good terms, but his name and that of the team continue to be linked time and time again during conversations. That athlete is none other than Shaquille O’Neal.

“They’ve done it with Shaq. And if you remember how Shaq’s career as a Laker ended, it was not well. You know, he’s yelling at Jerry Buss while running down the court that he won a new contract, and then they traded him. I mean, Shaq went and played for the Celtics, which to me is sacrilege if you’re a Laker, if you’re a tried-and-true Laker,” said Gottlieb. “But they acquiesced, and Shaq still historic Laker. Three championships. Put a statue out in front. It doesn’t mean there won’t be a statue of LeBron. Doesn’t mean they won’t hang his number up in the rafters. Why wouldn’t they?”

Gottlieb added that “there’s going to be a period of like five years where it’s not great between LeBron and the Lakers. After what happens in a divorce. And that divorce may happen before the season starts, may happen mid-season. It may not happen till after the season, right?”

These words, coming from Doug Gottlieb, are certainly a surprise. After all, the analyst has often criticized the NBA star and his son, Bronny James. He and Stephen A. Smith have been called out by James himself for criticizing Bronny, which Gottlieb described as “a dog and pony show”. Even if a critical analyst like Gottlieb can understand that LeBron deserves a statue, then why shouldn’t the others?

Shaquille O’Neal had an impact on the team that was described by Lakers Nation reporter Suki Thind as “Larger Than Life”. Alongside Kobe Bryant, he led the LA Lakers to their first and only three-peat, earned three Finals MVPs, and attained international fame. Similarly to Michael Jordan, teams had to reportedly devise entire game plans just to contain him.

While his partnership with Kobe Bryant ushered in another Golden Era for the Lakers, it also created some unwanted moments. Everyone today is well aware of the feud that had emerged between the two teammates. On top of that, Shaq wanted a bigger contract extension around 2003-04. This put him at odds with the front office, who weren’t budging since Shaq had suffered a major decline in his production that year. His body was starting to break down, and he did not seem to possess his previous level of prowess. This resulted in Shaq asking for a trade, and he was sent to the Miami Heat in 2004.

Despite what happened, the Lakers retired Shaquille O’Neal’s No. 34 jersey in April 2013, 9 years after he was traded, and 2 years after he retired from the NBA. In 2017, a 9-foot-tall, 1,200-pound sculpture of the 15x NBA All-Star was installed outside the Crypto.com Arena. After all, the Lakers couldn’t boast of being the only other team after the Chicago Bulls and the Boston Celtics if Shaq hadn’t been there.

LeBron James may not have won as many championships with the Lakers as Shaquille O’Neal, but he has still been the face of the franchise for the last 7 years. Upon his arrival, StubHub reported that LeBron James’ move to LA boosted ticket prices by over 400 percent. Opening night ticket prices averaged at $934, and even LeBron James’ merchandise sales were soaring. It was with the Lakers that the player surpassed Kareem-Abdul Jabbar’s record to become the NBA All-Time Scorer, won a championship with them back in 2020, and has made the playoffs 5 out of the last 7 years. Therefore, even if he doesn’t retire with the Lakers, LeBron’s legacy will not be shunned away so easily by the team.

As of now, mixed opinions continue to be held on whether LeBron deserves a statue or not. Fortunately, we know where Shaq himself stands on this.

Shaquille O’Neal demands a LeBron James statue, while Bryon Scott wants more from the player

Back in March, Shaquille O’Neal put out a staunch defense for LeBron James in an interview with NBA insider Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson. During the discussion about LeBron’s legacy, and whether he deserves a statue, he outright stated that “LeBron broke the record, and he did it as a Laker. Would I oppose him having a statue in Los Angeles? No, I wouldn’t. If they want to give him a statue, I’d be fine with that”.

Not only has Shaq covered LeBron enough, but the duo also briefly served as teammates on the Cleveland Cavaliers. While there is no doubt LeBron will be honored by the Cavs once he retires from the NBA, the ‘Big Aristotle’ is confident he will be remembered by the Lakers, too.

Unfortunately, Byron Scott does not hold the same belief. The former player certainly knows something about leaving a lasting legacy with the LA franchise, having won 3 championships with the iconic ‘Showtime Lakers’ squad. He realizes that if the statues of his former teammates, aka Magic Johnson, James Worthy, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, etc, hang outside the Crypto. Com Arena, they won more than just one championship for it.

“If he can get to 10 (years) and another ring,” said Scott during an episode of the ‘All The Smoke’ podcast. “Then I’d say he deserves a statue. But right now, no.”

What are your thoughts on this? Do you think that LeBron James deserves a statue if he leaves the Lakers in the coming months? Has he done enough? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section down below.