"He Should’ve Just Retired": Gilbert Arenas Changes LeBron James Statue View After Philadelphia 76ers Move

Gilbert Arenas has changed his stance on LeBron James' Lakers legacy after the superstar moved to the Philadelphia 76ers. Arenas now believes James should have retired as a Laker instead of continuing his NBA career in Philadelphia. He also questioned whether James should receive a statue outside Crypto.com Arena, despite previously saying the Lakers would “100 percent” honor him with one. Arenas shared his latest thoughts on Gil's Arena while reacting to footage of James working out ahead of the season. His comments have brought attention to James' eight-year Lakers run, which included an NBA championship and several career milestones.

Gilbert Arenas Rejects LeBron James Lakers Statue After 76ers Move

Arenas reacted to footage of James working out ahead of his first season with Philadelphia. “You're not a Laker no more. It's back to normal. It's back. It's back to business, right? He should've just retired. A Laker. He should've just retired. Trophy right in the front,” Arenas said on Gil's Arena.

The former three-time All-Star then discussed James' chances of getting a statue in Los Angeles. Arenas said his answer had changed because James did not finish his career with the Lakers. He also compared James' Lakers run with Shaquille O'Neal, pointing to O'Neal's three championships with the franchise.

That stance is different from what Arenas said in 2024. After initially questioning whether James had done enough, Arenas later said, “LeBron James will have a statue at Staples because you're not gonna have the No. 1 scorer in NBA history not there.” He also said Los Angeles would have to honor James.

LeBron James Leaves Eight-Year Lakers Chapter For Philadelphia

James officially ended his eight-season Lakers run this summer when he agreed to a two-year, $8 million deal with Philadelphia. The move came after he considered retirement, but James said he still loved basketball and believed he could help the 76ers compete for another championship.

His Lakers career included the 2020 NBA championship and the moment he passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA's all-time leading scorer. James also leaves Los Angeles after eight seasons, making the 76ers his fourth NBA team.

Arenas' latest view also brings his earlier comments back into focus. In March 2024, he said James did not have enough Lakers achievements for a statue at that point. Months later, he changed his mind and said James would get one. Now, after the move to Philadelphia, Arenas has changed his position again.

James, meanwhile, has already made his reason for continuing clear. He chose Philadelphia because he still wants to compete for another championship. Whether the Lakers eventually honor his eight-season run with a statue is a separate decision, but Arenas has made his latest position clear.