The Los Angeles Lakers were undoubtedly on a title run this season. LeBron James is in the center of that campaign. With three previous championships under his belt with two different teams, James is well on his way to a fourth ring with his third and presumably last NBA team. However, it will be a big disappointment if the season ends up being cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

James has this to say about the suspended 2019-2020 season: "I don't think I'll be able to have any closure if we do not have an opportunity to finish this season."

According to Yard Barker, it's already been a difficult year for the Lakers with the death of Kobe Bryant last January. If the season gets cancelled, then losing a golden opportunity will be a bitter pill to swallow. While no official word has come down from league management, the longer the hiatus stays in limbo, the less likely the season will resume. The NBA announced last Friday that it has no concrete plans for the resumption of the season, and will monitor the developments of the worldwide pandemic as a whole.

Since the pandemic is the indicator if and when the NBA will decide to resume games, then James has a reason to be worried about the lost opportunity. The United States is now the worst-hit country with over 730,000 Americans confirmed to have contracted COVID-19. The NBA itself has over 20 players confirmed positive, and at least two of them are James' teammates.

James is getting old, He will be 36 by the end of the year. While his statistics are showing that he is still playing at his best, his injury last year shows that he is no longer the invincible man he once was. His scoring and rebounding numbers have started to go down, but his assists have gone up. While a lot of people interpret that as James sharing the ball more often than he used to, there are also people saying that James himself is aware of his limitation and conserving his stamina.

While his current achievements will guarantee him a place in the basketball hall-of-fame someday even if he retires today, it does James and the game of basketball a disservice to miss one more ring that he could have had. Next season, Western Conference powerhouse Golden State Warriors will be back in the game, and it will be difficult for the Lakers to enjoy the dominance they are experiencing now.

LeBron James
Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James gestures while playing against the Brooklyn Nets on October 10, 2019 at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai, China Photo: AFP / HECTOR RETAMAL Hector Retamal/AFP
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