Los Angeles Lakers: The Pursuit of Luka Doncic's Co-Star and How LeBron James Factors In
I look ahead into the Lakers likely pursuit of another star and how LeBron James taking a reduced salary going forward could help achieve that while keeping the roster strong in the short-term.
If you told me last week the Lakers were trading for Luka Doncic and had to guess what the return would be for Dallas, I would’ve said LeBron James, Austin Reaves, and both 2029 and 2031 unprotected first-round picks. That way, the Lakers get to pair Doncic with Anthony Davis while the Mavericks keep a high level of playmaking and offense. Both rosters would be much more balanced.
Instead, Davis is headed to Dallas. This leaves a glaring void at center for the Lakers and I’m sure they’ll find a short-term solution by Thursday’s trade deadline. But James is still around and it sounds like he will remain a Lakers past the trade deadline. But for how long after this season? With the Lakers beginning to pivot into their next era, we could look at another offseason where James seriously considers taking a pay cut to help bring in a second star.