NBA legend LeBron James opted into his $52.6 million option on June 29, a decision that is now acting as a roadblock for the Los Angeles Lakers’ future. He is still a fantastic basketball player and can play at an elite level, but he is not the same LeBron James that we saw five years ago. With the Lakers locking up Luka Doncic today, it is clear they want to give the keys to the team to Luka, but LeBron being on the team complicates that wish.
It Is Clear the Lakers Want Luka Doncic To Be Their Leader
It’s been painfully obvious since Doncic got to the Lakers that he would eventually be the number one guy once James retired. With Doncic signing a three-year max contract extension, the Lakers are screaming to the mountaintops, “Luka is our guy!” However, as long as LeBron James is on the team, the Lakers will not be Doncic’s team.
What can the Lakers do about this? No one should be complaining that LeBron is still here, as he’s still a fantastic player. What the Lakers can do in this situation depends on how much they want to pass on the leadership from Lebron to Luka. If they want Luka to take over right now, would it be crazy to think that Los Angeles would consider moving Lebron to get something in return before he retires? It seems unlikely, but don’t rule out the unlikely in the NBA.
You Can View LeBron Staying On the Lakers This Season In Two Ways
LeBron James can make or break the Los Angeles Lakers this season. If he stays, the Lakers’ front office should hope that he plays well and that he and Doncic can carry the Lakers to another playoff run and assess from there. If the front office is skeptical, then things will get very interesting.
The bottom line is that the Lakers’ front office has to make a deep assessment of this roster this season. They will likely keep James for one more year and then assess where they’re at towards the end of the season. If they want Luka Doncic to be the leader right now, things will get very crazy in the next few months.
