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Lakers star LeBron James is introduced before a game against the Boston Celtics at Crypto.com Arena on Jan. 23. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
In the wake of the Lakers’ trade for Luka Doncic late Saturday night, the immediate fallout pertained to LeBron James and his future with the organization.
For every minute of his NBA career, teams have always put James at the forefront of their plans, the Lakers included. The expectation ahead of the trade deadline was that the Lakers were going to need to make an honest evaluation about whether or not to arm James with enough to give him a real shot at a final NBA title.
Instead, the Lakers made another decision — that they were going to start looking beyond LeBron.
By dealing for Doncic, the Lakers underwent an unofficial transition, no longer putting James’ needs first and focusing them on their new 25-year-old star.
Read more: Commentary: Why Mavericks grew frustrated with Luka Doncic and offered him to Lakers
So as rival executives and even some Lakers personnel wondered whether James or the Lakers would seek another deal before the deadline, the Lakers’ 40-year-old star had to, at least in part, think about what he’s getting from the Lakers.
According to people familiar with the Lakers’ thinking not authorized to speak publicly, the team has little to no fear that James will want to leave via a trade this season. He can opt out of his contract that’s set to pay him more than $52 million next summer and become an unrestricted free agent, but that’s not an immediate concern for the Lakers.
The Lakers are hopeful that James can not only pair with Doncic in the short term, but can also provide an example to the young star when it comes to the type of physical commitment it takes to sustain availability and greatness.
James has another big reason to stay in Los Angeles, the place where he’s said he hopes to finish his career. Lakers’ wins over the Wizards and Knicks offered a glimpse into how much his priorities have shifted.
Against Washington on Thursday, the Lakers’ bench erupted in glee as his son, Bronny James, scored a tough bucket while getting fouled….
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Author : LA Times
Publish date : 2025-02-03 11:00:00
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