The Los Angeles Lakers are on the brink of being eliminated from playoff contention. That's quite the fall from grace as Los Angeles is less than two years removed from winning an NBA Championship. It is also likely to become the first season in the future Hall of Fame career of LeBron James where he did not reach the postseason. That's truly amazing when you think about it. He is in year 19, and reached the playoffs all 18 previous years. Many of those were very good teams, but not all of them were. Early in his career, some of the Cleveland Cavaliers teams he took to the postseason were far from very good. But this season is very different.

Not only are the Lakers going to miss the postseason, but James needs to step up and take the blame. Too much of the team's failures are a direct result of decisions he has made, or been an influencer of.

Here are the two reasons why LeBron James needs to take most of the blame for the Lakers failure this season.

2 Reasons Why LeBron James Needs to Take the Blame for the Lakers Failures This Season

1. LeBron James put this aging team together

It has been pretty well publicized the role that James played in putting this current Lakers roster together. During the offseason last year, the Lakers added James' good friend, Carmelo Anthony. LeBron and Melo have long been good friends after being drafted #1 and #2 overall in the 2003 NBA Draft. But it was well known in NBA circles that Anthony was no longer a very good player, and likely a liability to almost any team that he plays on. Yet, the Lakers brought him on board.

The Lakers then traded for embattled superstar Russell Westbrook. In that deal, Los Angeles gave up Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Montrezl Harrell. Kuzma has continued to blossom into a highly productive NBA player. Caldwell-Pope provides elite shooting from deep, something the Lakers would kill for right now. Harrell is easily one of the more efficient, productive big men in the league that's not a superstar.

Westbrook has had a very difficult time finding his way in Los Angeles. The trade was confusing from the outset, as Westbrook has always been a ball-first point guard and LeBron typically has the ball in his hands most of the time on offense.

On Monday, Lakers legend Magic Johnson all but threw James under the bus for the trade.

According to Johnson “the blame he (James) has to take, is that DeRozan ended up in Chicago and not with the Lakers… DeMar DeRozan wanted to play for the Lakers… DeRozan could've been a Laker instead of a Bull. We could've made that deal. But when Russell and LeBron stared talking, that's when they nixed that deal and went with Russell Westbrook, and he became a Laker instead of DeRozan.”

DeRozan this season has been playing at nearly an MVP type level for the Bulls. He is averaging 28 points per game. He is also pulling down five rebounds, dropping five assists per game and hitting 50 percent of his shots from the field.

Meanwhile, Westbrook's struggles have been highly covered throughout the season.

This is the oldest roster in the league. It is filled with guys that cannot shoot from deep. For so much of James' career, he always made sure to surround himself with shooters. It didn't matter if they were old or young, so long as they can shoot from the outside. James has always been so great at driving the lane, drawing the defense and kicking it out. Mike Miller played a handful of extra years winning titles solely because of James.

Yet, LeBron opted for Westbrook and Anthony to be part of this squad.

2. LeBron James hubris

When you have been in the league for 18 seasons, and accomplished everything that James has, it's easy to take things for granted. But it appears as though James' hubris got the better of him.
Article Continues Below
More Los Angeles Lakers News
Coco Gauff of the United States poses with the trophy after winning the women’s singles final against Aryna Sabalenka on day 14 at Roland Garros Stadium.
LeBron James erupts with huge reaction to Coco Gauff’s French Open winLorenzo J Reyna ·
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Kobe Bryant, Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers
How Shai Gilgeous-Alexander draws ‘influence’ from Kobe BryantTomer Azarly ·
LeBron James, Stephen (Steph) Curry, who may be heading to an ESPN NBA broadcasting booth after they retire, after Lakers-Warriors game on December 25, 2024.
ESPN has ‘hopeful’ LeBron James, Stephen Curry wishAndrew Korpan ·
Chris Paul rescinded NBA trade Lakers Hornets
Chris Paul shuts down Hornets-Lakers trade conspiracyJulian Ojeda ·
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) celebrates with Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) during the fourth quarter.
Luka Doncic’s offseason body transformation has Lakers fans hypedJedd Pagaduan ·
Lakers' Shaquille O'Neal stands next to Kobe Bryant with GOAT signs in background
Shaquille O’Neal has no regrets over treatment of Kobe BryantRandall Barnes ·
There is certainly nothing wrong with having an immense amount of confidence. But you also need to always be realistic. Most of LeBron's career, he mostly played entire seasons. But in recent years, injuries have begun to mount. That caused him to miss a lot more games than he was accustomed. Anthony Davis always misses at least 20 games in a season. It's quite obvious that without James and Davis, this roster is easily one of the worst in the entire NBA.
Don't get me wrong, when James has been on the court, he has still been incredibly productive. He is averaging over 30 points per game, with eight rebounds, six assists and over 50 percent shooting this season. But that's when he is on the floor.
Youth was always going to be crucial for this team. Players like DeRozan, or Buddy Hield, who Magic claimed they also could have had, would have been massive upgrades.
LeBron failed to see the forest through the trees.