Skip Bayless Gives LeBron James a C for His Lakers Years. Here’s His Reasoning.

Skip Bayless has never been one to shy away from criticizing LeBron James. So when he graded LeBron’s eight-year run with the Lakers, the result was predictable — but even Bayless admits he took it easy.

“I give LeBron a C for his 8 years as a Laker,” Bayless said on his show. “And I’m being nice.”

The grade landed Tuesday after James announced he’ll play a 24th NBA season, though it’s still unclear which jersey he’ll be wearing. He’s a free agent, and the Lakers made no real push to keep him around. Bayless pointed to a few things that dragged down the mark: two missed playoffs, two sweeps, and two gentleman’s sweeps over eight seasons. That’s a lot of losing for a guy who came to Los Angeles to win multiple championships.

Yes, there’s the 2020 bubble title. That counts. But for Bayless, one ring in eight years with a franchise like the Lakers — especially for a player of James’ stature — isn’t enough to lift the grade much higher. Bayless did say he wouldn’t oppose the Lakers retiring James’ jersey someday, given he brought the city a championship. But that doesn’t change his overall take: LeBron was just average during his time in purple and gold.

Bayless likes what the Lakers did after LeBron

Skip Bayless also weighed in on the Lakers’ offseason plans now that James is officially out of the picture. And for once, he’s actually impressed with the front office.

“Strong move by the Lakers to acquire and sign Walker Kessler, the shotblocker/offensive rebounder/pick-and-roller Luka has lacked and wanted,” Bayless said. “Mamu, Sexton & Grimes aren’t bad pickups, either. All this was made possible by saying no to LeGone’s demand.”

Translation: The Lakers let James walk in free agency, and they’re building around Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and Kessler instead. Bayless sees that as a clear win for the organization — and a sign that the post-LeBron era might actually be brighter than the final years of his tenure.

Whether you agree with the C grade or not, Bayless made his point. One title, a lot of losing, and now a rebuild around a younger core. That’s the LeBron Lakers story in a nutshell.