The competitor in LeBron James has seen him win four NBA titles amidst several other accolades. His time in the league might be winding down but he wants to continue competing until he hangs up his laces. However, that has put the Los Angeles Lakers in a bit of a pickle.
On one hand, they know that their 40-year-old superstar might at most play a couple of seasons. James has made it clear that he won’t be there for far too long, giving the indication that the 2025-26 could be his last.
This season, there were signs that he has had trouble managing fatigue. That led him to take a break from the team and rest his body as the Paris Olympics clearly altered his recovery plans. He might still be one of the best players in the league, but the Lakers do not want to blow their future to pacify him.
Jovan Buha, a Lakers beat writer with The Athletic spends a lot of time with the franchise. From his conversations over the past few months with various personnel, he gathered some information on how the team is moving forward. An excerpt from that article read.
The sense around the league, when talking to rival scouts and front-office personnel, is that standing pat or making a half-measure trade (likely one or two second-round picks) is more likely than the Lakers going all-in and trading both of their future first-round picks that can be moved.
Jovan Buha wrote
The Lakers are more likely to stand pat or make a “half-measure” trade rather than go all-in on a big move, per @jovanbuha
“The sense around the league, when talking to rival scouts and front-office personnel, is that standing pat or making a half-measure trade (likely one or… pic.twitter.com/TLC5kW5Cw5
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) January 21, 2025
This could mean that GM Rob Pelinka could stay away from making a major splash prior to this trade deadline. Their focus is on having a solid future wherein they are still competitive after LeBron James has retired.
LeBron James will have to continue with this team
Jovan Buha revealing this could mean that LeBron James continues with his current team. He has already expressed his frustrations earlier when suggesting that the team is at its limits and to win, they need to play perfect basketball.
The Lakers not wanting to go all out could see James struggling to get them past the second round. Last season, they exited at the hands of the Denver Nuggets in the 1st. But there is belief that the team can win a first round series if they play another team.
But the real question is how the Los Angeles Lakers can play without exhausting their 40-year-old superstar. He might need another break or two if he has to stay fresh for the playoffs. Therefore, there is a chance James may not fight for NBA titles in his final years in the league.
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