When the Los Angeles Lakers acquired Luka Doncic, there were immediate questions about how two ball-dominant, playmaking stars like him and LeBron James would coexist. While the duo seemed to mesh well enough in the regular season and guided the team to the third seed in the Western Conference, the cracks in their chemistry became more apparent in the playoffs.
As the Purple & Gold suffered an underwhelming first-round exit for the second consecutive season, actor and die-hard basketball fan Michael Rapaport boldly declared how the Lakers are currently directionless. At least, until they part ways with four-time MVP, who, in his view, is a pure “vibe killer.
Despite being in Year 22, LBJ showcased how he was all-in for winning. In Game 3 of the series, when “The Don” struggled with a stomach ache, LeBron logged game-high points and rebounds and played over 41 minutes. Then, in Game 4, James played over 46 minutes out of the possible 48. It may be Luka who appears as the team’s best player, but no individual made a more significant impact on both ends of the court than Bron, guarding multiple opponents no matter the physicality involved.
Yet, Rapaport argued that it is time for the Lakers to move into the next phase of their franchise journey. Speaking on Skip Bayless’ podcast, Michael emphasized the importance of building around the younger players and bringing in quality role players who are better suited around them, and that starts by trading LBJ.
“It worked in bits (Luka and LeBron’s tandem). Obviously, it didn’t work enough. I think it’s time to move on. I think he sucks the joy out of that team. It would be in their best interest, unless they’re able to get some other pieces to let him go or move on from him. There were some stretches where he was a top-five player, some stretches where he was a top-10 player,” Rapaport said
The hard truth about a successful and iconic franchise like the Lakers is that expectations never dip. With their resources and market pull, the front office is always expected to assemble a championship-contending team. And when they fall short, the blame has to land somewhere, whether it was Frank Vogel, Darvin Ham, or Russell Westbrook in the past. Now, it seems the criticism has found its latest target — the 21-time All-Star.
Los Angeles is rarely about the lack of talent; rather, this team has always had talented players on its roster. They primarily lack the mentality to refuse to lose, something that a team like the Indiana Pacers consistently demonstrates. Despite not having a Top 10 player, each member of the team performs at a high rate in clutch situations to collectively elevate their winning prowess.
That’s precisely the culture change the Lakers need. And this is where they should use LeBron as the team’s ideal mentor. Perhaps, instead of cutting ties, Rob Pelinka and the Purple & Gold should look to relieve pressure off James so that he can make the game easy for the other players who are approaching their prime.
