It’s been a funny old season for the LA Lakers.
From being on track for 50 wins, despite a profile that would suggest they’re a fair way off that including a negative point differential and remarkably fortunate 13-1 record in ‘clutch games’.
To JJ Redick’s fiery press conferences and constantly calling his players out.
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And this unique dynamic between Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves as part of a patched-together roster in a transition year where the vibes feel off.
Like any big team, they can never seem to stay out of the headlines for too long.
James’ high-profile agent, Rich Paul, sensationally said recently the Lakers should trade Reaves for Jaren Jackson Jr. in comments that reportedly weren’t well received within the four walls of the Lakers.
While James distanced himself from those remarks, it’s not the first time Paul has raised eyebrows on his new ‘Game Over’ podcast.
The powerful Klutch Sports executive has also said he doesn’t think the Lakers are good enough to win the title right now.
Perhaps Paul is just being brutally honest. But it’s unusual comments from one of the most powerful managers in the NBA regarding his number one client and the biggest name in the game’s team. Which, despite the Lakers’ flaws, they’re still in the thick of the playoff hunt.
Oh, and Paul also manages Anthony Davis — the centerpiece for the Dallas Mavericks in the Doncic trade that blindsided everyone. Not to mention James is on an expiring contract for the first time in his career, so it feels like there’s a power shift happening in LA.
It highlights the funky situation the Lakers find themselves in.
There’s always an added focus on the Lakers, because they’re the Lakers. But this is a particularly unique situation and period at large as they navigate a transition from one era – and superstar – to another and the growing pains that come with it. All with the backdrop of new ownership recently taking over the team, to throw another interesting ingredient into the mix.
So what lies ahead for the purple and gold?
Put simply, they can’t afford to mess up the roster around Doncic, the new face of the franchise, and what happens from here.
Doncic landed in their lap last February in possibly the greatest stroke of luck in sports history and a trade that will never make sense. It’s as if a winning lotto ticket fell down from the heavens onto their front door in the form of a bona fide top five NBA superstar from Slovenia.
Nabbing Doncic after the Lakers have had James as their key cornerstone and Kobe Bryant before him is some coup. Poor Lakers fans, hey?
A trade for Davis has created something of a Frankenstein roster for Redick with too many ball handlers and a lack of wings and defensive players in general. No matter, it was a miracle deal too good to refuse. It’s why they’re still in a grace period and it’ll take more than 12 months to get the supporting cast around Doncic right as they rebuild on the run.
More specifically, a supporting cast that should revolve around Doncic and Reaves – but not necessarily James, So for the first time, the Lakers shouldn’t feel beholden to James — or those close to the 41-year old – as impressive as it is what he’s doing in a record 23rd season.
Granted, we’re yet to really see Doncic, Reaves and James in the same team together for a meaningful period due to injury. In fact, the trio have played in eight of a possible 41 games together this season. James missed the start of the campaign due to a Sciatica issue and Reaves was recently struck down with a calf setback.
But again, this was always going to be a transition period anyway.
It sure beats a future with an ageing James in his twilight years and the oft-injured Davis next to Reaves.
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With that in mind, gearing up for the future, instead of pushing for what would inevitably be an early-ish playoff exit in the loaded Western Conference this season, should be the direction they take. Even if they’re wasting an MVP-level season from Doncic, the NBA’s scoring leader.
In LA’s most important piece of business post the Doncic trade, the 26-year old was locked away until 2028 with a three-year $165 million extension. Tick.
However Reaves’ future isn’t certain as he prepares to enter free agency.
Reaves was in the midst of an All-Star breakout season before James returned to the court in a leap that’s added serious dollars to his looming massive payday this off-season, and undoubtably, more suitors.
The 27-year old star guard, who’s being paid $13 million this season in what might well be the best value deal in the entire NBA, can opt out of that contract and become an unrestricted free agent in the US summer.
He’s reportedly eligible for a five-year $241 million extension with the Lakers, or he can sign a four-year, $178 million deal elsewhere.
From a financial standpoint, it puts LA is in the box seat to retain Reaves, who will clearly draw huge interest among rival teams.
That includes the Utah Jazz, according to NBA analyst Kevin O’Connor.
“I think the Utah Jazz are going to be a team that has big interest in Austin Reaves this summer,” O’Connor said on his podcast.
“There are going to be teams that make a big max offer for Reaves, and he’s going to have that choice. So the Lakers — like, Rich Paul’s not saying it — but I’m sure Rich Paul has that same exact information about where Reaves could go this off-season.”
Unless Reaves would rather get out of the bright lights of LA and spread his wings as a true No. 1 option elsewhere, like Utah, to see how many levels he can go up.
Like we saw from James Harden when he was traded from the OKC Thunder to the Houston Rockets in 2012 and he became a bona fide MVP.
But O’Connor said that’s “never going to happen” for Reaves in LA as the No. 2 option next to Doncic and his heliocentric style, even if you “eliminate LeBron from the equation today”.
“It didn’t happen with Jalen Brunson, it didn’t happen with any co-star (Doncic) has ever had. Austin Reaves will have to take a backseat to Luka,” O’Connor said.
“Unless Luka were willing to move off the ball, like he did for Real Madrid prior to entering the NBA. It’s just unrealistic to expect that.
“I think Austin Reaves seems to enjoy playing with Luka and Luka seems to enjoy playing with him. But ultimately, it depends on his own aspirations.”
If the Lakers had an inkling Reaves was going to walk, they might be best served trading him before the February deadline to get something in return. Instead of potentially losing him for nothing.
And there’s legitimate question marks around whether a backcourt pairing of Doncic and Reaves can work defensively, as explosive as they are on the other end of the court.
But clearly, you’d still prefer to keep Reaves and make defensive upgrades around him and Doncic.
Which brings us to the upcoming trade deadline. If the Lakers are planning to make any key moves, they should be with an eye on finding pieces that fit and will help them long-term — not necessarily for a push this season.
LA has been linked to defensive specialists like New Orleans’ Herb Jones and Sacramento’s Keon Ellis, who make plenty of sense given the team’s main issues have been on the defensive end. Fellow Pelican Trey Murphy would be the dream addition, though he’d be much pricier and it’s hard to say if he’s even gettable.
There’s also been reports the Lakers are shopping their 2032 first-round pick for multiple first-rounders with less value in an attempt to spread their asset pool.
That could mimic a trade the Phoenix Suns made last year, when they moved an unprotected 2031 first-round pick to the Utah Jazz in exchange for first-rounders in 2025, 2027 and 2029 that are all the least favourable of multiple teams.
If the Lakers can’t find create more flexibility with their picks, they’re somewhat limited with how much they can improve their roster if they wanted to take a big swing. At least until the off-season.
That’s when they’ll have the added flexibility to trade three first-round picks in 2026, 2031 and 2033 in addition to three pick swaps, which could be seen as six first-round assets available for a major move.
Whereas right now, the Lakers can only deal one first-rounder in either 2031 or 2032 due to the Stepien Rule.
In other words, they can either make micro moves on the fringes now, or save their trade chips for a bigger swing or to keep their powder dry in general.
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Speaking of the off-season, a big call looms on James’ future.
There’s three options; he calls time on his legendary career, stays with the Lakers, or pursues a move to another team.
Could another Cavaliers reunion be on the cards? A move to cross-town rivals Clippers? The Warriors, Knicks and Mavericks are other teams that always seem to come up as potential destinations.
Former teammate Richard Jefferson suggested those close to James are as in the dark as ever about his plans.
Jefferson compared it to when arguably the greatest player of all time planned his infamous first NBA move from Cleveland to Miami in 2010 – also known as ‘The Decision’.
“For the first time ever since we’ve been in the same friend group and circle, I truly don’t have an idea of what he is doing,” Jefferson said on the Zach Lowe Show.
“It’s kind of like ‘The Decision’ … even him going back to Cleveland caught everybody off guard.
“I don’t know where he’s going, we don’t talk about it. He might be retiring. They’re doing a year 23 patch on his jersey … some of these things might lend to retirement. We don’t know.
“He’s such a big piece, adding him to any situation just makes it different … if we’re making stuff up, purely hypothetical, I would see Cleveland or LA as the places I would see him end his career.”
The one thing you could bank is that, if James returned to the Lakers, it’d be for significantly less than his current expiring $52 million deal.
He’s no longer a priority, certainly not over Doncic and Reaves. Plus LA couldn’t possibly afford to have the trio all on max deals and put a good enough roster around them, as we’ve learnt this season.
Unless they can retain James on the cheap, moving on from the legendary superstar might be the best thing for the Lakers to officially mark the beginning of a new era. And to get away from some of the unwanted storylines that surround a player of his status.
Does James still want to be the guy? Or is he comfortable taking a backseat to Doncic and Reaves? The latter might be his best pathway to contending for more rings.
Beyond James and Reaves, the list of looming 2026 free agents isn’t super interesting, in terms of starpower. It’s headlined by Trae Young, James Harden, Kristaps Porzingis, Isaiah Hartenstein, Draymond Green, Fred VanVleet and Norman Powell.
The Lakers are about to have multiple other key rotation members come off their books too including Rui Hachimura, DeAndre Ayton and Marcus Smart. They can open up a maximum $80 million in cap space (AUD $119 million) and will have a spate of roster voids to fill, most notably at centre.
Big decisions loom. But fast forward further ahead, and the 2027 free agency class is where it gets real interesting.
It’s possible that Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo hit the market. Other potential 2027 free agents include Steph Curry, Anthony Davis, Jimmy Butler, Karl-Anthony Towns, Paul George, Donovan Mitchell, Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Michael Porter Jr and Julius Randle, to name a few.
You sense that 2027 off-season is when the Laker will look to go big and the planning and manoeuvring to ensure they have the necessary cap space for it begins now. It should’ve already started. They’d ideally find another superstar that fits the same timeline as Doncic, so some of those names mightn’t suit.
Then again, when you’re the Lakers, it’s almost as if free agency is open 24/7, given their ability to draw superstars as a big-market franchise. Case in point, Doncic. So you couldn’t rule out them luring other big fish in trades.
In saying that, in the current NBA climate, building around no more than two superstars and rounding out the rest of a roster with gun mid-priced options might be the best way to go about it.
Not only do the new roster constraints make it nearly impossible to unify three or more superstars, but the failures of the likes of the LA Clippers, Phoenix Suns and Brooklyn Nets building super teams in recent years are cautionary tales.
Whatever way the Lakers go, building around No. 77 is some starting point that has them better positioned than the majority of the league. History shows you need a top five or so level superstar to be a real chance of competing for NBA silverware.
And that’s exactly what the equal most successful team in league history will be aspiring to do. It’s now just about steering through the waters of this in-between period, from whatever they are now, to then.
They got their lucky break and a direct bridge from the James era to another era of potential glory. Time to maximise it.