It’s not often LeBron James has to play second fiddle on a team, but it seems his stint at at the top is finally going to end. Luka Doncic’s arrival in LA will seriously shift the power dynamics down at the Crypto.com Arena. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst stated that the Lakers will no longer plan their moves according to James and that he’ll effectively play the role of a second star now.
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On ESPN’s GetUp, Windy explained how LeBron might be pushed to the back seat with Doncic the clear star in LA, saying,
“They are now Luka Doncic’s team.”
He added that LeBron has coasted by for nearly 22 years, knowing that teams will build around him, and how Luka’s arrival changes all that:
“Every year of Lebron’s career, 21+ seasons, everything that the teams have done when he’s on it has been about him. That is no longer the case. Everything the Lakers will do going forward will be about number 77.”
"Everything the Lakers will do going forward will be about number 77. They are now Luka Doncic's team."
—@WindhorstESPN 😯 pic.twitter.com/Fq8oTe1xan
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) February 3, 2025
With the Lakers securing their superstar for the future in Doncic and LeBron’s inevitable retirement looming, Windy’s words make a lot of sense. Rob Pelinka and the FO will look to get players that complement Doncic’s style of play, rather than cater to LeBron’s needs, as they have done for the last 6 years.
That means rather than invest in 3&D wing players, they’ll look to land an All-Star caliber big man who can protect the paint and attack the rim on offense, something like what Dereck Lively II was doing in Dallas.
This will mark the first time in LeBron’s career that a team isn’t entirely dependent on him to win, and at age 40, it’s going to be the first step the Lakers take to slowly plan for their future without him.
LeBron James’ age was a huge concern for the Lakers
Before the Luka trade, the Lakers had no future. They’d spent most of their picks to trade for players to surround James in an attempt to help him land another title in LA. But now, with the 25-year-old Slovenian as their franchise centerpiece, they can afford to be a little more patient.
LA no longer has a clock on their championship window and can afford to do smart, patient business. They still have a few pieces that can be seen as valuable to teams given the right circumstances, and apart from a hasty center to fit their roster, we’ll probably see a Lakers side that exercised caution in trades.
Doncic’s youth and wealth of experience will be huge for them, as is the added fact that LA just became a prime destination for future free agents. Luka is well respected in the league, and his exploits with the Mavericks have shown that he can significantly improve the floor of any player alongside him.
What looked like a dark future for LA just 72 hours ago with LeBron James and Anthony Davis both reaching the end of their championship window now seems to be as sunny as their beaches with Doncic’s arrival. The Lakers have not only set themselves up for a potential championship in the near future but are also well set for a long term of dominance, even after the game’s greatest-ever player decides to hang up his high-tops.
