The Los Angeles Lakers are entering a crucial season with their top two players in the later stages of their careers, and their recent performance has cast doubt on the team’s potential. Star player LeBron James is showing signs of decline in his 22nd year, which would be anticipated, yet he has been challenging age […]
The Los Angeles Lakers are entering a crucial season with their top two players in the later stages of their careers, and their recent performance has cast doubt on the team’s potential. Star player LeBron James is showing signs of decline in his 22nd year, which would be anticipated, yet he has been challenging age for the past five years.
His ambition to participate in all 82 games might suggest he is striving to maximize this season in anticipation of a possible retirement afterward. Should he retire following this season, Lakers reporter Jovan Buddha posits that fellow superstar Anthony Davis may request a trade.
If Davis chooses to seek a trade, the Lakers could accommodate him, especially considering Davis is enjoying one of the best seasons of his professional life. Despite ongoing injury worries, he has largely remained healthy over the previous season and could likely attract a couple of first-round picks to support their rebuilding efforts.
With the potential departures of LeBron and Davis, the Lakers might transition into a cap space team, giving them the opportunity to recruit another star or two to Los Angeles to eventually take the place of their two premier players.
Should LeBron opt to play an additional year, it might delay Davis’s request to leave, if he ever chooses to make one. After all, Davis might enjoy his time in LA and could be content to be the franchise’s centerpiece as they transition into a new era.
At 31 years of age, although injuries may hinder his ability to play deep into his thirties, Davis could have a couple of productive seasons left before he sees a decline. Even so, his defensive prowess, length, and agility should keep him as an excellent defensive asset well beyond that timeframe. Whether the Lakers can successfully rebuild around Davis will largely depend on when LeBron decides to retire.
The Lakers might feasibly trade for a star after LeBron’s retirement or have sufficient cap space in the summer of 2026 to entice a star to join them. Conversely, with many stars opting for contract extensions, the pool of available stars in free agency is becoming increasingly limited each year.
The most notable star expected to be accessible that year is De’Aaron Fox from the Sacramento Kings. Whether he would consider joining the Lakers or if that would influence Davis’s desire to remain in L.A. is yet to be determined. What remains clear is that the Lakers may soon undergo significant changes.
