by Paul Teetor
Manhattan Beach resident Chris Taylor’s long and successful Dodgers career came to a sudden end this week when the utilityman was released by the Dodgers – and ended up starting in center field for the Angels 48 hours later.
His sudden journey down the 5 freeway – from the baseball penthouse to the outhouse — was prompted by the Dodgers decision to release him on Sunday after nine years with the team, which comprised the bulk of his major league career.
The 34-year-old Taylor had some big moments with the Dodgers. He was a key part of the team’s run of 4 World Series appearances in eight years. His biggest moment came in the 2021 wild-card showdown with the St. Louis Cardinals when he hit a walk-off home run. Other shining moments included a sliding catch on the warning track in the fifth inning of game 7 of the 2018 NLCS, which helped vault the Dodgers into the World Series. His three homers and six RBI in Game 5 of the 2021 NLCS against the Braves gave the Dodgers their only victory in that series.
But pro sports is a brutal, what-have-you-done-for me lately world, and Taylor only hit .200 the last couple of seasons when his utility role was taken over by Tommy Edman. Now he will have an opportunity to revive his career with the Angels. They could certainly use the help and veteran leadership they’re hoping he will provide.
Taylor’s impact was felt off the field as much as on the field. Through all the career ups and downs, Taylor’s CT3 foundation raised money for worthy causes and established him as one of the genuine good guys in pro sports. Most memorable was his annual Polar Plunge at the Manhattan Beach Pier, attended by Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts and many of Taylor’s teammates.
Here’s hoping the fun-for-all annual event continues far into the future.
LeBron: oldie but a goodie
This week, at the ripe old age of 40, Lakers superstar LeBron James was named to the All-NBA second team – meaning he was voted one of the 10 best players in the league. He’s also the oldest player in the league.
The All-NBA teams, which are decided without regard to positions, are voted on by a panel of 100 reporters and broadcasters who cover the NBA. They vote for players with points awarded on a 5-3-1 basis.
Oklahoma City MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, Denver center Nikola Jokic and Boston forward Jayson Tatum were the only unanimous first-team selections. They were joined on the first team by Cleveland guard Donovan Mitchell.
On the second team were James, New York guard Jalen Brunson, Golden State guard Steph Curry, Minnesota guard Anthony Edwards and Cleveland’s Evan Mobley, the league’s Defensive Player of the Year.
Clippers guard James Harden was named to the third team. The future Hall of Famer averaged 22.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 8.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 41% from the field and 35.2% from 3-point range in 79 regular-season games.
Joining Harden on the third team were Detroit guard Cade Cunningham, Indiana guard Tyrese Haliburton, Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns and Thunder wing Jalen Williams.
LeBron’s season stats this year were absolutely incredible for a 40-year-old player. He averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists and 7.8 rebounds in 70 regular-season games. While 2024-25 was the first season since James was a rookie when he didn’t average at least 25 points, it marked the first time he has played at least 70 regular-season games in back-to-back seasons since joining the Lakers during the 2018 offseason.
And he’s the oldest player ever named to an All-NBA first, second or third team, extending the record he set last year when he also made the second team at age 39. The previous record holder was Tim Duncan, the great power forward of the San Antonio Spurs who was 38 back in 2015 when he was named All NBA.
LeBron’s latest record is great news for the Lakers, right? It means he is playing at such a high level that he is likely to play 3 to 5 more years for the Lakers.
Right?
Uh, not necessarily.
It almost certainly means that the Lakers, despite having two superstars in LeBron and Luka Doncic, will once again barely make the playoffs next season – or even make the play-in tournament to get into the real playoffs.
And the Western conference is so loaded that there is a very real possibility they will miss the play-in tournament as well as the playoffs.
At the very best they will get wiped out once again in the first round, as they did this year when the Minnesota Timberwolves – last seen being steamrolled by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals last week – stomped them 4 games to one in the first round of the playoffs.
That’s how stacked the Western Conference is: The Timber Wolves crushed the Lakers, and then the Wolves were crushed in turn by the Thunder.
The Lakers need to start planning and thinking about the future — without LeBron.
And LeBron needs to start thinking about his future if he truly wants to win at least one more NBA championship. Cause it ain’t happening with the Lakers in the foreseeable future – even with Luka at his side.
LeBron has a $52 million option to play with the Lakers next year. Of course, he could decline to exercise his option and become an unrestricted free agent. But All Ball thinks he’s not going to do that. As long as his son, Bronny James, is on the Lakers roster that’s where LeBron will be.
Despite all the hot air coming from LeBron’s minions in the mainstream media that Bronny is making progress and could be a contributor next season, the truth is that the 6-foot-1 Bronny is not close to becoming a real NBA player. There are dozens of players better than him right now in the G League, but they aren’t being handed $8 million four-year contracts like Bronny got last summer.
LeBron is also one of only two players in the entire league who has a no-trade clause in his contract. The other is Phoenix guard Bradley Beal.
That means LeBron totally controls where he plays next season. He will almost certainly exercise the $52 million option, making him the Lakers property for at least one more year. Then he should work with General Manager Rob Pelinka to find a team on the cusp of winning a title, a team loaded with young talent that needs a superstar to lead them to a title or at least to make them a contender.
All Ball can think of at least five teams that fit that profile: Houston, Orlando, Detroit, Memphis and Cleveland. All of them could send a couple of young, talented players to LA in exchange for LeBron.
The last team is the most intriguing. Cleveland, which had the best record in the Eastern Conference this season but was upset by the Pacers in the second round, makes the most sense for LeBron if he really, truly wants to win another NBA title. It would be his third stint with the Cavaliers; he would be going home — again – but it would take some fence-mending with owner Dan Gilbert.
Stranger things have happened.
Contact: teetor.paul@gmail.com. ER
