LeBron James is just doing what he has to in order to motivate his Lakers teammates. At least, that’s how Shaquille O’Neal sees it.
With the Lakers in a tailspin, having lost six of eight, LeBron has been vocal about his teammates’ play in the wake of trade deadline rumors that have clearly affected the team’s play.
“That’s what the hell you’re supposed to do,” O’Neal said on Monday’s Shaqcast. “I did that s–t all the time, why do you think me and Kobe had beef? That’s what you do. If you ain’t stepping up, I’m talking to you like this, I’m calling you out.
“It’s a tactic. Sometimes it’s serious, sometimes it’s not. Lotta times, I’ve waited and waited and waited. When I call people out, they get mad, guess what happens when they get mad? They play. LeBron is not a malicious guy, he’s very smart. … He’s right in this. … You don’t want to be traded, step your damn game up.”
While former the Lakers big man shares LeBron’s point of view, he doesn’t have to shoulder the load on a team that’s 30-33 and looking likely to miss the postseason. The sub-par season has led to criticism from even the likes of Snoop Dogg, who isn’t very happy with LA’s play, either.
“Get LeBron some f–king help,” the rapper said in an angry rant after Saturday’s loss to the Suns, “because these goofballs ain’t going do s–t. They sorry. They f–king suck. I’m selling my f–king booth right now. I got a booth for the next two, three years.”