Whenever LeBron James steps onto the court for the 2025‑26 NBA season, he’ll be entering the final year of his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers—a detail that should dominate headlines across Hollywood and the wider NBA. Yet, strangely, it’s barely the main story in L.A. this year. Instead, the limelight belongs to Luka Dončić, who has soared to the top of the franchise hierarchy with a historically torrid start, and Austin Reaves, whose star appears to be fully ascendant…
James, long considered a definitive answer in the GOAT debate, is now playing second fiddle, at least in perception. Once the undisputed centerpiece of any team he joined, he is now clearly part of a supporting cast in a Dončić-led Lakers squad. “We still don’t know where LeBron James is going to be,” ESPN insider Shams Charania said recently on the Flagrant podcast. “Is he going to finish his career with the Lakers, or is he going to be somewhere else? I think it’s very much up in the air…”
Under normal circumstances, the uncertainty surrounding LeBron’s future would be the top headline in L.A., given his status as both a current superstar and a living legend. Assuming he can manage his recurring sciatica, James remains capable of elite production. A trio of James, Dončić, and Reaves certainly reads like a contender on paper. But the stakes have shifted. The Lakers’ future no longer revolves around James; it now pivots on Dončić. The baton has been handed off, and the organization is no longer obligated to structure every roster decision around accommodating a 40-year-old star…
There’s nuance here. What’s best for James often overlaps with what’s best for Dončić—both are elite shot creators capable of elevating any surrounding talent. Yet a team designed around a 26-year-old Dončić carries far less urgency than one built around James in his final years. L.A. retains flexibility to explore trade opportunities and roster upgrades, but it shouldn’t feel compelled to exhaust resources simply to cater to James’ desires. If the right trade offer presents itself, the Lakers should strike decisively; if it doesn’t, overpaying for marginal improvement to appease an aging superstar is unnecessary…
The front office faces long-term roster decisions as well. Most of this roster will be unsigned by next season or shortly thereafter, meaning the organization has a rare chance to build around a player who could serve as a centerpiece for years: Dončić. Last season’s blockbuster trade highlighted this philosophy—not just acquiring talent, but securing a cornerstone with real longevity. James, by contrast, offers no such long-term certainty. There’s no guarantee he’ll play beyond 2026, and certainly no promise he’ll remain with the Lakers beyond this season…
L.A. must internalize this reality. James may be a critical piece today, but he is no longer the franchise’s driving force. Future decisions—from trades to free-agent pursuits—should prioritize what strengthens the team and what maximizes Dončić’s championship window. The question of James’ role should be a secondary consideration at best, or even irrelevant. Ultimately, it will be up to LeBron to decide whether he wants to remain in Los Angeles, but the Lakers’ mandate is clear: act for the organization first, their young superstar at the center, and let James adjust to the evolving landscape…
In the coming months, every trade rumor, every personnel shift, and every strategic decision will be viewed through this lens. The Lakers are no longer living in the past, and Hollywood’s newest headlines are about a team evolving beyond a single superstar’s shadow. Dončić has taken the reins, Reaves is rising, and James’ fate in L.A. remains tantalizingly uncertain. One thing is clear: the Lakers are no longer a team built around LeBron James—they are a team built around the future…
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