LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
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With LeBron James set to enter free agency and potentially leave the Los Angeles Lakers next summer, they can trade the star for a big return.
The Los Angeles Lakers have once again found themselves with too many superstars to handle. After having LeBron James since 2018, trading for Luka Doncic just months ago, and now seeing the ultimate rise of Austin Reaves, the Lakers have three All-Star-caliber players teams around the league would love to have.
However, this new trio could be extremely short-lived, and as James has yet to suit up this season due to sciatica, the threehaven’t even been on the court together since LosAngeles’ playoff loss in April. But while head coach JJ Redick and general manager Rob Pelinka wait for James to return,there’s a ticking clock on the time he could have left on the team.
With James set to become a free agent next summer, and the immense value he still holds around the league at age 40, the Lakerswere recently urged to explore their options with theNBA’s all-time leading scorer, because right now, there is a chance he leaves in the offseason for nothing.
Hoop Central
The Lakers are now 5-2 & LeBron James has still not made his season debut. 🔥
“The Lakers still can (and should) test the trade market for potential upgrades,”Zach Buckley wrote for Bleacher Report on what the Lakers should do with James and his expiring contract. “If the right offer comes along, the Purple and Gold should absolutely pounce.If itdoesn’t, though, the Lakersshouldn’t feel the need to overpay for a subtle upgradejust to appease an aging star.”
Over the most recent offseason, James picked up his $52.6 million player option with Los Angeles for this season. Since that news, along with the comments made by his agent, Rich Paul, to NBA insider Shams Charania, have sparked mass speculation about thestar’s future.
LeBron JamesIsn’t The Lakers’ Priority Anymore
Part ofBuckley’s message to the Lakers centeredaroundrecent commentsmade by Charania,as in a podcast appearance,he said thatJames’ status is still very much ‘up in the air’, and nobody knows if he even wants to come back.
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“We still don’t know where LeBron is gonna be… I still think it’s very much up in the air… I don’t think he knows exactly how the end is going to play out.
“Could it be with the Lakers? Sure, but he’s a free agent.”
– Shams Carania on LeBron James. 🍿
But with the uncertainty around one of the best players in thehistory of the sport, it alsobegs the question of whether the Lakers want to keep him around. They now have Doncic, and whileReaves’ future is also as uncertain asJames’, having an arguably top-five player on any given night is a good starting point for the 17-time champions.
Not that they have that stability in the superstar position with Doncic taking the reins from James, the front officedoesn’t need to do whatthey’ve done in the past and go out of their way to appease ‘The King’. Regardless of the decision he makes over the offseason, itwouldn’t topple what the franchise has been building.
“Sure, the Lakers would probably prefer hedoesn’t take his talents elsewhere, but theyaren’t living and dying with that decision,”Buckley wrote. “The baton has obviouslybeen handed over to Dončić, so it falls on James to find his fit in L.A. The organization, on the other hand, no longer needs to feel obligated to fit its plans around whatever serves him best.”
Whenever hedoes returnfrom sciatica and begins his record-breaking 23rd NBA season, there is still the question of ‘How muchis left in the tank?’
“There’s no guaranteehe’ll evenplay beyond this season,”Buckley added. “The Lakers have to remember that and act accordingly. James might be an important puzzle piece right now, buthe’s no longer the most important player they have.”
Luka Doncic And Reaves Are Carrying The Team
Sure,saying the Lakershave been atwo-man show to begin the season is a stretch, but looking at the numbers, it is hard to find a team relying on two players more than Los Angeles has with Reaves and Doncic.
Specifically for the former, as he is one of only fourLakers’ players to suit up in each of their seven games so far. In that span,he’s averaged 31.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 9.3 assists, including a near 50-point triple-double and a buzzer-beater against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In what has been the first semi-prolonged stretch of his career as the frontman of a team, Reaves has picked up the responsibility in stride.
“That guy is going to show up in the big moments,”Redick said afterReaves’ game-winner. “I’m not surprised.He’s done that many times in his career.”
The ‘Reavesvolution‘has hit Laker Land hard to start the year, but along with him, Doncic has also been playing some of the best basketball of his career.The Sloveniandid sit outforthree games with leg and finger injuries, but after missing a week, he was back to regularly scheduled programming.
In four games, Doncic is averaging what would be a league-leading 41.3 points (hasn’t played in at least 70% of games,isn’t on the official stat ladder until then), 11.5 rebounds, and 8.3 assists on 54.5% shooting. After signing his deal and losing some weight, Doncic now looks comfortable as the leader for the Lakers.
Redick has hadstrong contributions from players like Deandre Ayton, Rui Hachimura, Jake LaRavia, and Marcus Smart, butit’s mostly been the ‘Doncic and Reaves Show‘through seven games, and will likely continue to be until James returns.