Hot takes regarding the Los Angeles Lakers’ offseason plans are starting to emerge.
Until free agency begins on June 30, speculation will be at an all-time high.
Lake Show Life’s Tyler Watts strongly believes the Lakers should retain/build around their newly-acquired star point guard Luka Doncic and trade their declining 40-year-old forward this summer.
“The Los Angeles Lakers should seriously consider trading LeBron James this offseason and building around Luka Doncic,” Watts wrote Saturday. “The 40-year-old still put elite numbers and is likely to opt in to his $52.6 million player option.”
“James has a no-trade clause if he opts in, which could make this a non-starter, as the Suns are well aware. It would be difficult to fathom LeBron staying if the organization wanted out. He would control his destination, and the Lakers’ return would be limited. Those are the expected consequences of this risky move.”
“Losing LeBron would hurt, but James is declining. Getting something before he retires is a positive as the Lakers try to win a championship with Luka atop their roster. There are fit issues between Doncic, James, and (Austin) Reaves.”
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“All three are problematic perimeter defenders at this stage. LeBron can still lock in, but not on a nightly basis during his age-41 season. Reaves could reach new heights with an expanded on-ball role, and Pelinka gets a chance to add shooting and defense around Luka.”
To Watts’ point, it would be preposterous to argue that James is the same player he was before reaching 40.
As players age, their athleticism naturally declines, which is what James is experiencing in Los Angeles. On the bright side, the four-time NBA champion understands the importance of nurturing his other skills to remain productive in the big leagues.
As a dynamic 6-foot-9 freight train who regularly thinks ahead on the offensive end, James can still carry his weight in the competitive basketball league in the world.
James averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 7.8 rebounds per game this season, shooting 51.3% from the field and 37.6% from downtown with the 50-32 Lakers.
James and Doncic formed a formidable duo toward the end of the regular season (thanks to the Dallas Mavericks’ decision to relinquish him to the Lakers in early February for Anthony Davis). Still, Los Angeles’ unfortunate frontcourt hole doomed them against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the postseason.
Trading James this summer is as unrealistic as it gets. It’s far more likely the Lakers will pair James and Doncic with a polished big man and kick off their 2025-26 championship quest in October.
However, Doncic’s unanticipated midseason trade to the Lakers proves that anything is possible in the NBA.
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