LeBron James and his future with the Los Angeles Lakers comes down to one simple thing: can they do better?
There have been a lot of murmurings during the 2025 offseason about James and how long the all-time great will stick around in Los Angeles. As things currently stand, it does not appear like LeBron will be going anywhere during the 2025-26 NBA season, at the very least.
In the summer of 2026? That might be a different story. However, it is one that really comes down to the straightforward question above. Why would the Lakers rush James out the door if they cannot find an upgrade for the right-hand man of Luka Doncic?
"They are in position where they can pivot away from LeBron next summer," Brian Windhorst said on The Hoop Collective. "They can go out and seek acquiring a high-dollar player. ... They have the option on the table of keeping LeBron. ... That optionality is valuable."
Lakers' search for a new Luka Doncic partner may take some time
The Lakers would love if another senseless general manager allowed for one more generational superstar to fall into their lap. However, there are only so many times when a franchise can get that lucky.
James, even with his age, faults, and skill-set overlap with Doncic, is still the highest caliber of superstar that is readily available to help the Lakers pursue a championship. There is no obvious answer to who would fill the LeBron-sized hole if the front office were to give him his walking papers.
The 2026 class of free agents does not have a player who firmly sits above James in the pecking order of NBA stars that can be turned to for an upgrade over the 40-year-old. LeBron is as good as it gets right now.
The Lakers would be wise to operate with that immediate knowledge and not alienate James too much in their efforts to properly equip Doncic for the best years of his career. The short-term window screams Luka and LeBron.
That should be the case until 2027. That group of free agents does have some real game-changers among them. Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo stick out as the immediate candidates in that group.
There are still plenty of dominos that can fall before the summer of 2027. Perhaps Antetokounmpo decides to pull the plug on the miserable Milwaukee Bucks experience sooner than free agency. Maybe another well-fitting star has a similar realization about their own tiresome team situation.
Until then, LeBron still gives Luka the best second option in the NBA. Maintaining that status quo to the point of an obvious upgrade would be the Lakers' best strategy.