Rob Parker: "When it comes to LeBron and his unique situation, you're not playing all these years just to play out the string. You need help, you need other players. It doesn't make sense to me at all why you would need to pick up all that money when you need other pieces and you saw what happened last postseason. Do you want to get only 4 championships in 23 years? The longer you play, the worse it looks, cause there is nothing special about 4 championships in 23 years. I think he has made a big mistake. It doesn't sound like he's really trying to win, to me, because I would be working closely with the Lakers to see what they need from me in order for us to get another piece. There is no way in the world that he should just be taking the most money, that's going to hinder the organization."
Kelvin Washington: "LeBron is doing what LeBron does. LeBron is going to protect LeBron, he's going to look out for LeBron. I think he took his haircut when he went to college, by that I mean 'Miami Heat University.' I think since then he's said no, he's not doing it. Does it hinder them? Yes. Kobe was injured in his final years, but remember, Kobe didn't take a haircut either. I think he absolutely wants the money. I think he wants to still be relevant. I think he wants to play with (his son) Bryce. And if they get a championship by happenstance, great. But this is what he does, and this is what the Lakers do. They hold themselves indebted to people."
Rob Parker and Kelvin Washington analyze LeBron James' choice to opt-in to another season in Los Angeles with a gigantic salary. Rob rips LeBron for not taking a pay cut in order to help his team acquire more talent for one more championship run to finish his career. However, Kelvin provides perspective as to why both LeBron and the Lakers would agree on such a lucrative deal for what could be LeBron's final season in Los Angeles.