The Los Angeles Lakers have their superstar and franchise player in guard Luka Doncic.
Doncic became the face of the Lakers, replacing LeBron James the moment they traded for him in February 2025. The 26-year-old superstar is the present and future of the team as they revolve around his timeline.
The same could be said for fellow star guard Austin Reaves. Reaves has established himself as an All-Star-level player in the league and could be counted on to contribute at an elite level night in and night out. The future is clear for L.A.: build around Doncic and Reaves and provide them with complementary pieces.
That is the goal for L.A., and unfortunately for James, it doesn’t involve him.
According to ESPN NBA insider Tim MacMahon, James could be a bit grumpy about the fact that the Lakers are building around Doncic and Reaves.
“I think part of LeBron’s grumpiness is the realization that he’s not going to be a part of [the Lakers rebuild around Luka and Austin],” MacMahon said.
Is LeBron James' Lakers Era Finally Coming to an End?
James, 41, is in his 23rd season in the league and is in his eighth season as a Laker. Up until the Doncic trade, he was the face of the Lakers. The four-time NBA champion was a big reason why the Lakers went from a lottery team to a contender and why they captured their 17th title in franchise history.
However, since that 2020 title run, the Lakers have yet to sniff the NBA Finals. A lot of that has to do with roster construction, but James has yet to bring another title to the Lakers.
NBA insider Jake Fischer noted how the Lakers and James are ready to move on from each other.
"Definitively, the Lakers are ready to move on from LeBron James and I think LeBron James is ready to move on from the Lakers as well. That's kind of the foregone sentiment in Los Angeles right now about what's to come this summer,” Fischer said.
James’ future with the Lakers is uncertain. He is set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer with a $52.6 million expiring salary.
However, one clear thing is that the Lakers will do all they can to build around Doncic and Reaves, especially after James retires or leaves L.A. this offseason.
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