As LeBron James prepares for his record-tying 22nd NBA season, a haunting reality is beginning to set in. Despite never seeming to regress in a truly significant manner, most appear to be accepting that the end is nearing for James’ career.
The Lakers are among those who have been tasked with processing that daunting reality, as building beyond James appears to be a new priority.
James and Anthony Davis will continue to push for a second championship as teammates when the 2024-25 season rolls around. They were on the cusp of achieving that feat as recently as 2023, when they reached the Western Conference Finals—but Los Angeles isn’t losing sight of life beyond James.
In a recent episode of The Ringer’s The Mismatch, NBA analyst Kevin O’Connor noted that the Lakers are keeping their eye on Luka Doncic as a future addition.
“I’ve reported on this podcast and on The Ringer how they have their sights set for Luka [Doncic] in the future. We’ll see if that works out. Dallas just made a Finals. Dallas is looking better than ever with their supporting cast. That may not work out. But the Lakers, by not trading their future picks, clearly they’re still thinking long-term at this point.”
It’s a fascinating thought to explore, especially when one considers that Doncic has stated that James is his favorite player in NBA history. It’s also a far cry from a surprise that a team wants to have one of the best players in the world on their roster.
The transition from James to Doncic would make sense from a stylistic perspective. Both rank among the best scorers and facilitators in the NBA, with a rare combination of elite court vision and unstoppable downhill scoring ability at the core of what they do.
If the Lakers were to somehow land Doncic at some point in the future, the hypothetical pairing with Davis would make the team an instant contender.
The hurdle, of course, is the simple fact that the Lakers must find a way to convince Doncic that they’re the right team for him. They’ll have time to formulate a plan to do so, as the Dallas Mavericks superstar is signed through the 2025-26 season.
Doncic is likely to decline his player option for the 2026-27 campaign, thus enabling him to pursue the largest possible contract in free agency.
This approach seems to suggest that James will play beyond the 2024-25 season. It’s likely to be a decision that the four-time MVP makes on his own terms, but it’s worth noting that he signed a two-year deal with a player option for 2025-26.
If he were to accept that player option or even sign a new contract, he’d be playing in the NBA at 42 years of age.
Projecting that far out would be a fool’s errand, as James has already entered into unprecedented territory. There’s an obvious desire in Los Angeles to build upon the success of the Davis and James era rather than allowing it to fizzle out, however, and that’s where Doncic could come in.
It’s hard to imagine a scenario in which the Mavericks would trade Doncic anywhere, but if he becomes a free agent in 2026, the Lakers will inevitably be at the heart of potential discussions.
