Derek Fisher Drops Blunt Take on How Lakers Fans Viewed LeBron James

The LeBron James era of the Los Angeles Lakers has officially come to an end, with the four-time champion letting the storied franchise know that he will be taking his talents elsewhere in NBA free agency this summer.

James leaving the team after eight seasons has come with mixed reactions, as some Lakers fans are elated that Los Angeles can move on and put all their efforts into building around superstar guard Luka Doncic for the foreseeable future.

Others have criticized the Lakers for tarnishing the relationship with James, making him want to play for and retire with another team, which is likely to be the Cleveland Cavaliers for a third and final time.

Derek Fisher: Lakers Fans ‘Didn’t Love’ LeBron’s Time in Los Angeles

Five-time NBA champion and Lakers legend Derek Fisher was recently asked about James leaving Los Angeles, and he believes the future Hall of Famer wasn’t beloved among fans of the team, via Yahoo Sports.

"A lot of people in LA didn’t love LeBron’s time here... I think people have moved on," Fisher said of James. "A lot of fans have. I think a lot of Lakers fans had a difficult time receiving the fact that LeBron was already LeBron before he got here."

With LeBron joining the Lakers after two decades of the Kobe Bryant era, the superstar forward had a tall task to follow in the footsteps of arguably the greatest Laker of all time.

There’s no question James tried to live up to expectations and make his mark in Los Angeles, as he did win an NBA title while playing alongside fellow superstar Anthony Davis in 2020, but the rest of his tenure didn’t go great.

James’ next best season in terms of team success was a trip to the Western Conference Finals in 2023, where the Lakers got swept in four games by Nikola Jokic and the eventual champion Denver Nuggets.

The Lakers eventually pivoted to Doncic and seemed solely focused on putting talent around him rather than catering to a star in his 40’s, which does make sense, especially with the franchise dedicated to winning championships.

It’s no easy feat to win over Lakers fans, considering the franchise’s history of success, winning 17 titles, which is second most behind the arch-rival Boston Celtics.

Although James will go down as one of the greatest players in NBA history, his time in Los Angeles was complicated, and it remains to be seen how it will be viewed in the future once he’s retired.

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