The Los Angeles Lakers will not have LeBron James on the roster next season. James decided that he did not want to return to LA. He played eight seasons with the franchise and will now look for a team to play the final leg of his career with.
James has not decided where he is going to play next. However, the breakup with Los Angeles seems to have been messier than previously reported. It seems that James made his decision to leave the Lakers much sooner than everyone thought.
An ESPN insider detailed James’ thought process this offseason about wanting to leave Los Angeles.
GettyLos Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James shoots the ball in a game. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)
LeBron James Decided to Leave the Lakers Before Free Agency
According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelbourne, James knew he wasn’t going to play for LA before the team could even negotiate with him.
“The Lakers called Paul a week before free agency, when teams could approach their own free agents, to try to arrange a videoconference with James and were told he wasn’t available. Paul didn’t say why at the time, but he told ESPN it was because James had already decided he didn’t want to return to the Lakers and that there was no need for a call,” Shelbourne wrote.
It seems that James had no interest in returning to Los Angeles at any point in the free agency process. Based on the timeline of events, it was clear that James was not happy that he wasn’t the priority in free agency. Austin Reaves was given that status.
With James gone, the Lakers have decided to almost completely remake the roster. They have made several signings to fill out the bench and made a massive trade for Walker Kessler. They are building around Reaves and Luka Doncic, and seem to have had that plan in mind for a while.
GettyLos Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James gives an interview after a game. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)
Los Angeles is Taking a Massive Risk with Building the Current Team
The way the Lakers are building the current roster comes with a significant amount of risk. They have no more tradable first-round picks after using them all in the Kessler trade. Not retaining James also gives them a big hole at the forward spot in the starting lineup.
Despite James not being in the prime of his career any longer, he is still a solid player at this stage of his career. He can still be a valuable piece to a team, especially one that has title aspirations. James will be looking to potentially win another ring this year.
The Lakers might try to make another trade, but signing free agents might be done. They are pretty much out of cap room. They could bring someone new in through a sign-and-trade, which might be the best way for them to improve their roster further.
LA has just a few assets left to get something like that done.
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