Quote:
Originally Posted by packs
Home attendance has been dropping since 2020:
2019/2020: 18,997 average
2021/2022: 18,649 average
2022/2023: 18,613 average
We're in the hobby, my friend. What do you think the odds are the first home game where the world gets to see the first father / son duo in NBA history sells out? How many jerseys are going to be sold that day? How many Topps Now cards will be printed? Do you think there will be a bigger game on earth that night once the networks sink their teeth in?
The sports world will be watching the Lakers all year long. That kind of attention wasn't being paid last year when it was just Lebron out there.
I also think it's fair to conclude that Lebron was not interested in playing at all if the Lakers weren't going to draft his son. I don't know what your opinion of the rest of the team is, but without Lebron who is anyone there to see?
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For completeness, their 2023/24 home attendance was 18,903 so pretty much back to where it was a few years ago. During the last few years, their record was also a lot worse before getting up to 47-35 this season. Winning usually helps bring people out, I would think more than the possibility of LeBron playing 2 minutes with his son, especially after it's happened once. LeBron wasn't retiring if they didn't draft his son, not after the year he just had. Maybe they sell a few jerseys more, but his son would probably benefit more from actually playing in the G league than sitting on the bench and getting occasional minutes.