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LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
LeBron James‘ future has been a hot topic among Los Angeles Lakers fans and the media this summer. The veteran superstar opted into his $52.6 million player option early in the offseason.
Yet, as Rob Pelinka has continued to prioritize building around Luka Doncic, rumors regarding James’ tenure with the franchise have persisted. However, Jared Greenberg of TNT, speaking via a recent episode of the “Good Word with Goodwill” podcast, looked to squash those rumors and the overall narrative that James wants to play elsewhere.
“LeBron had the opportunity this summer to be a free agent and sign wherever he wanted,” Greenberg said. “… He didn’t want to sign for the minimum, he did not want to give away his no-trade clause. … Don’t then be confused as to why he’s still a Laker.”
Greenberg’s comments are logical. James could easily have opted out of his current contract. Then, he would have been free to choose the next stop in his career. Instead, he made the decision to remain in Los Angeles, committing to another year in the Purple and Gold, and another run at contending for a championship.
Sure, James had 52.6 million reasons to stick around. Yet, the truth is, moving to another team wouldn’t guarantee success. Getting James out of LA would mean gutting a roster to make the salaries work. Therefore, sticking with the Lakers, collecting a big paycheque and contending for a championship was an easy decision.
Lakers Building Around Doncic AND LeBron
When speaking to reporters during a news conference in Poland, where he was visiting Doncic and the Slovenian National Team, Rob Pelinka made it clear that the Lakers are building around both James and Doncic.
“Absolutely, the title next year is our plan,” Pelinka said. “With Dončić and LeBron, we have two top players. Now we want to build a real team around them…It was good to see new basketball players coming to training,” Pelinka said. “Deandre Ayton is a great reinforcement and such a center will be key for Luka’s passes. Marcus Smart will contribute on defense. But first, we want Luka to focus completely on this tournament with Slovenia. Then he can focus on the Lakers again.”
There’s no doubt that Doncic is the new face of the Lakers organization. However, for as long as James remains part of the roster, Pelinka will undoubtedly look to maximize his (still) elite skill set.
Marcus Smart Must Earn His Role
Marcus Smart is among the key additions to the Lakers’ roster this summer. JJ Redick’s team ranked 17th in the NBA for defensive rating last season. Smart is among the best perimeter defenders in the NBA.
Despite his impressive resume, Mike Breshahan of the “Lakeshow podcast” doesn’t believe Smart should instantly be given a starting role within the Lakers’ rotation.
“Is he in that starting five?” Breshahan asked. “I don’t think so. He played okay with Washington towards the end of his brief run with them last season. I got to see him play some games. He just hasn’t played a full season.”
Smart’s skill set will ease the pressure on both James and Doncic next season. If he can prove he’s healthy during preseason, there’s no reason why he shouldn’t slot straight into the starting lineup.
Nevertheless, the Lakers roster is significantly better than it was to end the 2024-25 campaign. Redick has more depth, versatility and talent at his disposal. And with James and Doncic both focused on competing for the Larry O’Brien trophy, it could be a fun season in Lakerland.
Adam Taylor is a basketball reporter covering the Boston Celtics and Phoenix Suns for Heavy. He has also written for CelticsBlog, USA Today, Yardbarker and FanSided. Adam has a bachelor’s degree in creative writing from Open University. More about Adam Taylor
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