The Los Angeles Lakers have faced a tricky situation trying to satisfy both LeBron James and Luka Doncic, who are on different timelines in their careers. James isn’t expected to be on the Lakers roster next season, but all he has wanted at the tail end of his career is to be on a contender.
“LeBron wants to compete for a championship,” Rich Paul told ESPN. “He knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all. We are very appreciative of the partnership that we've had for eight years with Jeanie [Buss] and Rob [Pelinka] and consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career.”
The Lakers got better on Thursday when they made a trade for one of the league’s best three-point shooters, Luke Kennard.
“The Los Angeles Lakers have acquired guard Luke Kennard from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for guard Gabe Vincent and a 2032 second-round pick, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania on Thursday. Kennard is shooting a career-best 49.7% from 3-point range this season, giving the Lakers a sharpshooter on the wings for Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and LeBron James,” ESPN wrote.
The trade likely signals that Los Angeles is looking ahead to the buyout market for one last key piece. A name to watch is veteran Mike Conley.
“If Conley can even begin to return to the level of efficiency he's routinely displayed from beyond the arc, he'd instantly help a Lakers team that ranks No. 18 in three-point field goal percentage. Furthermore, Conley is a quality playmaker who can get the offense into its sets and find open teammates without the risk of turnovers. He averaged 4.5 assists to just 1.1 turnovers in 24.7 minutes per game last season, and could help save Los Angeles' dreadfully unproductive second unit,” Lake Show Life’s Maxwell Ogden wrote.
Conley has had a productive career, one that several teams would love to have. There is no doubt he is nearing the end of his career, so championship aspirations are on his mind.
The Lakers could provide him with a chance to achieve that goal, while he could offer leadership and mentorship inside the locker room. Los Angeles has the space to acquire Conley if that is where he wants to be.