Sports

Former Laker Worthy: James will be ‘quitter’ if he leaves Cleveland

James Worthy has his three NBA championships rings with the Lakers and another NCAA title from his North Carolina days. The former Lakers power forward is well decorated and believes LeBron James would look like a “quitter” if he left Cleveland without any bling.

“My personal opinion is a lot of times when you lose and you leave, it sounds like a quitter,” the seven-time All-Star Worthy told The Post. “I would never want to leave without accomplishing the goal.”

Worthy, appearing Friday at a charity event for NBA Cares in which he helped dedicate a community center near Staples Center, said James must make sure he gets what he wants there, feels he will stay in northeast Ohio but does not think Cleveland’s supporting cast is nearly enough.

“He’s in the right position to demand what he wants,” Worthy said. “He’s in a position to tell the team what he wants. If they don’t give it to him, I don’t think he wants a Kevin Garnett situation where he’s there 11 years, 12 years. He’s got to ask for the same thing Larry Bird had, Magic had, he needs another Hall of Famer around. But I still see him in Cleveland.”

Worthy can’t see James signing with the moribund Knicks, even with Chris Bosh.

“I don’t think so, it would be tough with that current team,” Worthy said. “He’d stay in Cleveland for that. The Knicks would have to make some moves. Wherever he goes, they’re going to have to make moves. He’s been in the league seven years. He’s not going to stand for status quo. Antawn Jamison is a good player, Shaq is an older veteran, but they still haven’t given him enough.

“Larry Bird had Kevin McHale, Robert Parrish, Dennis Johnson and Magic had Kareem, myself, [Bob] McAdoo. I don’t think LeBron has received what he needs. Kobe got Pau [Gasol], [Ron] Artest, players that can get the job done.”

With James having no ring, Worthy doesn’t feel he is worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as Kobe, gunning for his fifth title this week. James has won the last two MVP awards. Kobe has only one.

“People who understand the game and general managers and players, you get a different story,” Worthy said. ” Fans who go by MVP awards, they go with that. I go with the finishing product, who’s standing in June. The torch has been passed to LeBron. But I don’ think LeBron has gotten to where he needs to get to be mentioned in that [Kobe] conversation.”

Worthy said if James doesn’t get the surrounding cast, he could wind up like Worthy’s friend, Barry Sanders.

“I was with Barry a couple of weeks ago talking about it as a similar situation,” Worthy said. “They never put anything around Barry. Give the man what he wants.”