LeBron James is ready to enter his 21st NBA season. Picked Number 1 in the 2003 draft, King James is the only active player remaining from his draft class. Still, he is not showing any signs of slowing down. LeBron averaged 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 6.8 assists at age 38. The 19-time All-star has won four championships in his career and is looking to add one more ring on his finger to match the tally of Lakers legend Kobe Bryant.

However, Damian Lillard’s recent trade to the Milwaukee Bucks to join forces with Giannis Antetokounmpo may have destroyed King James’ chances of winning his 5th ring. Let us take a deeper look into LeBron’s chances of winning another championship next season following the massive power shift in the NBA.

Can LeBron James beat Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard?

The Portland Trail Blazers shocked the NBA world after they finalized a three-team trade to send their superstar Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks. This turned the Milwaukee Bucks into title favorites. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Co were the number 1 seed last season. They could have made another run to the finals if the 2-time MVP had not gotten injured in the first round of the playoffs against Miami.

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Lillard’s addition to the team further elevates an already well-built Bucks roster. After Dame’s trade, their projected starting lineup includes Damian Lillard, Pat Connaughton, Khris Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Brook Lopez. That is a deadly starting five, considering four of the five players had an all-star-caliber season last year. The Milwaukee Bucks will miss the presence of veteran guard Jrue Holiday, who got traded in order to acquire the 7-time All-Star.

Apart from having a deadly starting 5, the Bucks also have a deep bench that can take control of the game when their stars are resting. The Milwaukee Bucks bench includes Bobby Portis, Jae Crowder, Goran Dragic, Malik Beasley, and more.

The improvement in the Milwaukee Bucks roster could hamper LeBron James’ chances of winning his 5th Championship. The Los Angeles Lakers also made big moves this summer to improve their roster. After their mid-season turnaround last season, the Lakers made an improbable run to the Western Conference Finals. But they could not get past the eventual champions, the Denver Nuggets. The Joker and Co. dominated LeBron’s team and swept them in the series.

After the Lakers’ impressive turnaround, Rob Pelinka gave the roster one more chance. He re-signed the young core of Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, D’Angelo Russell, and Jarred Vanderbilt on multi-year contracts. The Los Angeles Lakers also signed several solid role players to play alongside LeBron and AD.

Pelinka added Gabe Vincent, Christian Wood, Taurean Prince, Jaxson Hayes, and Cam Reddish to the squad. The addition of these role players significantly increases the depth of the Lakers squad. It also gives them the flexibility to experiment with the starting lineup based on their opponents.

If the four superstars in Los Angeles and Milwaukee cancel each other out, the outcome will depend on the players surrounding the superstars. LeBron and AD’s combination is very similar to the newly formed duo of Lillard and Giannis, as one is a playmaker, and the other dominates in the paint. So, LeBron’s success in his 21st season will depend a lot on his supporting cast.

The current starting lineup of the Lakers includes D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, LeBron James, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Anthony Davis. But this lineup will most likely be altered throughout the season. If we look at a head-to-head comparison, the Los Angeles Lakers have more firepower on their bench.

They have young players who proved their mettle in last season’s playoffs. So, even though Dame and Giannis have shifted the power dynamics in the NBA, LeBron James still has a legitimate chance of winning his 5th ring. However, there are teams other than the Milwaukee Bucks that LeBron James will have to overcome in order to win the title.

LeBron has more competition in the West

LeBron James will face the newly formed superstar duo of Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo only when both teams make it out of their respective conferences and meet in the finals. But the road to the NBA finals will not be that simple for either team. The West was dominated by Nikola Jokic and Co last season. And they will remain the NBA champions until beaten. The Joker humiliated LeBron and AD in the West Finals, and there is no guarantee that he will not do it again this time around.

There is also a new force in the West with the partnership of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal in Phoenix. The trio is an offensive juggernaut and has the ability to dominate a game at any given moment. Apart from The Phoenix Suns, several other teams have improved their roster significantly this off-season. LeBron James will have to go through tough competition if he wants to lift the Larry O’Brien trophy for the 5th time in his career.

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