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Shaquille O’Neal is weighing in on LeBron James’ NBA destiny.
The retired athlete — who played eight seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers from 1996 to 2004 — addressed James’ decision to leave the California-based team ahead of his unprecedented 24th NBA season.
“Go where you can win, LeBron. When it’s over for us, it’s over,” O’Neal, 54, exclusively told the California Post in a new interview.
“You never want to sit back and say, ‘I shoulda, I coulda, I woulda.’ I would say [go to] Cleveland, Golden State, Miami or even Philly.”
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James, 41, shocked the sports world in June when he announced he was leaving the Lakers after eight seasons, having previously played with the Cleveland Cavaliers (2003 to 2010, 2014 to 2018) and Miami Heat (2010 to 2014). He averaged 25.9 points, 7.9 assists, 7.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals since joining the Lakers as a free agent in 2018.
“LeBron James is one of the greatest athletes in history. We will always be thankful for his eight years with the Lakers — including the title he led us to in 2020 under the toughest imaginable circumstances and the countless records he broke in purple and gold,” Lakers owner Jeanie Buss said in a statement at the time.
“We wish him all the best in the future, both on the court and off. He will always be a cherished part of the Lakers family.”
In response to the post, James wrote, “No, THANK U! Truly a honor to wear the [purple and gold] while trying to continuing the greatness & legacies that came before me! Hope I made a few proud during my stint.”
Since the surprising announcement, fans have patiently been waiting for any news regarding James’ next move. While many have speculated that the four-time NBA Champion will likely land with the Warriors, Heat or Cavaliers, no decisions have been made at this time.
The California Post reported Tuesday that the majority of the NBA’s free agency business remains on hold while James weighs his options on where to play next.
Insiders told us that multiple teams and players within the league are currently in “a holding pattern” until the athlete finalizes his decision on where he’ll finish out his NBA career.
As for O’Neal, he exclusively spoke with Page Six while promoting his new true crime series, “Game Day Murders,” which he executive produced for Today Investigation Discovery.
“I’ve been a sports guy, I’ve been a true crime guy, and finally, we’re going to merge the two together,” he explained, when asked why he decided to take on the project.
Calling himself a “true crime junkie,” the Lakers legend noted that he likes it because “everybody has that detective in them.”
“Game Day Murders,” hosted by veteran sports broadcaster Lindsay Czarniak, premieres July 27 at 10 p.m. ET on ID.
The series is also available for streaming on HBO Max.
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