OAKLAND, Calif. -- For a moment, just imagine if LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers lost to the Toronto Raptors in the second round of the playoffs.
Now imagine those Raptors moving on to the NBA Finals, eventually getting swept by the league's best team, the 2017 champion Golden State Warriors.
What would the commentary be surrounding James right now? In today's hot-take culture and with all the in-progress legacy judging, what sort of scrutiny would James be facing on a daily basis?
Here's why that question is relevant: James, at age 32, has just ended his Finals run short of his goal of winning a fourth championship.