When LeBron James joined the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018, he arrived at a franchise that had endured a five-year absence from the NBA playoffs—an uncharacteristic drought for a team historically dominant throughout its 65-year existence. Now, five years after James led L.A. to its most recent NBA championship and earned Finals MVP honors against the Miami Heat, Luka Doncic has signed a three-year, $165 million maximum contract extension.
While James`s initial mission was to restore the Lakers` prestige, Doncic`s objective is to establish a sustainable winning model that will contribute to the franchise`s impressive 17 titles. James was 34 when he came to Southern California, necessitating an urgent approach to team construction to capitalize on the latter part of his prime. Doncic, at just 26, is equally impatient in the Lakers` quest to build a contender around him. He conveyed this clearly during a May dinner with Lakers president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka and coach JJ Redick.
“I don`t want to wait,” Doncic stated during the conversation. “I had a taste of the Finals. I am getting back there. So, let`s do whatever we can now.”
As the NBA enters an era of remarkable parity, with seven different champions in the past seven years, the critical question arises: Can the Doncic era in Los Angeles, supported by multibillionaire Mark Walter`s deep pockets and a new ownership group, defy this trend?
Strategic Player Fits Around Luka Doncic
Conventional wisdom suggests that two player archetypes complement Doncic best, a notion supported by statistical analysis.
The first ideal player type is a powerful, rim-running center. Data indicates that Doncic and Dereck Lively II, former teammates with the Dallas Mavericks, formed one of the most impactful duos among active players. Doncic excels in pick-and-roll scenarios where he can deliver lobs to a big man. Since entering the league, Doncic ranks second in assisted dunks per 100 possessions, demonstrating his effectiveness in creating opportunities for athletic centers.
The second essential player type is a proficient knockdown shooter. Doncic has consistently generated the most corner three-point attempts for his teammates throughout his career. However, the Lakers` current roster lacks an abundance of such specialists. Among their projected rotation, only Rui Hachimura and backups Jake LaRavia and Dalton Knecht have demonstrated an above-average success rate from the corner three over the past five seasons.
The Lakers will likely find it easier to acquire shooters than top-tier two-way big men in the coming years. The current abundance of shooting talent in the NBA means this skill set is often available at a reasonable cost. For example, Luke Kennard, a top corner three-point shooter, signed a modest contract this summer, while other reliable shooters like Norman Powell were traded for minimal returns, and Seth Curry remains a free agent. The Lakers could potentially acquire players such as Grayson Allen and Sam Hauser in trades without significant difficulty.
Reliable big men are a rarer commodity. New Lakers center Deandre Ayton, while capable, presents an imperfect fit in the short term. Despite being a solid pick-and-roll partner for Chris Paul with the Phoenix Suns, Ayton lacks Lively`s vertical athleticism, and his consistency has been questioned.
There are two perspectives on the Lakers` long-term strategy for the center position. One argument posits that the Lakers require a high-caliber big to match Doncic`s brilliance, which might be challenging to acquire. The opposing view suggests that Doncic is so exceptional that he can elevate any rim runner into a formidable force, as evidenced by his immediate chemistry with then-rookie Lively.
Regarding LeBron James`s fit, Doncic has proven his ability to collaborate with another skilled ball-handler, even if James isn`t a traditional three-point specialist or rim-running center. Doncic and Kyrie Irving reached the NBA Finals together with the Mavericks, and he also made it to the Western Conference finals with Dallas alongside Jalen Brunson before Brunson`s breakout with the New York Knicks.
Insights from League Insiders on the Lakers` Next Moves
With Doncic`s contract extension secured, the most crucial offseason business is complete. However, beyond discussions of James`s future, the most intricate question for the Lakers involves Austin Reaves.
The 27-year-old guard represents a remarkable developmental success story, transitioning from an undrafted free agent to averaging 20.2 points and 5.8 assists last season for the Lakers, maintaining a 37% career three-point percentage. With Reaves poised to enter free agency next summer, the critical questions are his potential market value and whether it aligns with the Lakers` long-term strategy.
Multiple front-office sources anticipate Reaves will command upwards of $30 million annually. The general expectation among executives is that Reaves will ultimately return to Los Angeles, solidifying his role as Doncic`s long-term backcourt partner, akin to the roles previously held by Brunson and Irving in Dallas.
However, the nature of these negotiations and Reaves` long-term place with the Lakers may depend on his performance next spring. Reaves struggled during L.A.`s first-round playoff loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in April, shooting just 31.9% from beyond the arc on over nine attempts per game and averaging nearly three turnovers. “This is a big season for him,” commented one Western Conference assistant coach. “He`d better bring it in the playoffs, because he`s got to be good enough to pair with Doncic.”
What remains clear is that the most effective way to build around Doncic involves a combination of a rim-running center and, more importantly, several 3-and-D wings. Doncic has demonstrated his ability to maximize players fitting these archetypes. As one scout noted, “Unless he`s going to play without the ball, that`s how you have to build around him.”
Yet, the Lakers are not alone in their pursuit of two-way wings, which are the league`s most sought-after commodity. While Los Angeles could possess significant cap space and up to three first-round picks, securing these players remains challenging. Furthermore, Doncic`s defensive limitations mean the roster must be constructed to hide him on that end of the floor, adding another layer of complexity.
The Lakers are also facing up to eight free agents next summer. The question is whether this substantial amount of expiring money will serve as a tool for Pelinka to facilitate roster upgrades for both the current season and beyond.
Cap Space and Draft Capital: Shaping the Lakers` Future
The Lakers` roster construction strategy unfolds in three distinct phases: the present, next offseason, and 2027.
Currently, the Lakers are in a holding pattern regarding their final roster spot. Due to their use of the non-taxpayer midlevel exception on Ayton and LaRavia, they are hard-capped at the first apron. Despite having an open roster spot, they cannot sign a 15th player until January 18. Nevertheless, after prioritizing needs by signing Ayton, LaRavia, Marcus Smart, and Jaxson Hayes, and extending Doncic, Pelinka affirms the team`s commitment to continuous improvement.
“We like the upgrades we were able to make to the roster,” Pelinka stated during Doncic`s extension announcement. “But by no means are we going to be satisfied. I think every year we`re on an infinite cycle to try to improve this team and win championships, and we`ll stay committed to that work.”
While the Lakers face trading restrictions—James holds a no-trade clause, and Ayton, Smart, Hayes, and LaRavia cannot be traded until December 15—Rui Hachimura, Maxi Kleber, and Gabe Vincent are on expiring contracts totaling $40 million for the 2025-26 season.
Pelinka has a history of aggressive trades, notably acquiring Anthony Davis in 2019 and Doncic in February. However, a potential hurdle for future blockbuster deals is the Lakers` limited first-round draft capital. Although they can swap a first-round pick every year except 2027 and 2029, the Lakers possess only one tradable first-round pick, either in 2031 or 2032. Their sole tradable second-round pick is not available until 2032. Starting in the 2026 offseason, their tradable first-round picks will increase to two: 2031 and 2033.
The contract situations of Hachimura, Kleber, Vincent, and James will significantly influence the Lakers` financial flexibility next offseason. Should all four players depart, the Lakers could generate $45 million in cap space, a figure that includes Reaves` free agent hold if he declines his $14.9 million player option.
Ironically, the most prominent free agent in next year`s class is James himself. “I think the number one thing we have to do there is respect he and his family`s decision in terms of how long he`s going to play,” Pelinka commented regarding James`s future.
An ideal scenario for the Lakers would involve converting expiring contracts into players who can contribute immediately and next season, even if it means foregoing cap space for the first time since 2019. This strategy would position the Lakers to potentially have nearly $100 million in cap space by 2027.
The summer of 2027 could see a star-studded free agent class, including Giannis Antetokounmpo, Stephen Curry, Nikola Jokic, Karl-Anthony Towns, Donovan Mitchell, and Anthony Davis. The prospect of playing alongside Doncic, the allure of the Los Angeles market, the new ownership, and significant cap space could create a highly attractive destination.
History provides a precedent: in the summers of 2018 and 2019, the Lakers leveraged their cap space to sign James in 2018 and then reshape their roster the following offseason, acquiring Davis via trade and signing key free agents. This culminated in their 2020 championship with James.
However, relying solely on cap space under the current collective bargaining agreement carries risks. With players increasingly able to sign lucrative extensions with their incumbent teams, there`s no guarantee that any All-NBA caliber free agents will become available. This past summer, for instance, many top players who could have become free agents instead signed long-term extensions. As NBA commissioner Adam Silver stated, “The mechanism of the collective bargaining agreement was very clear: We are trying to give incumbent teams an advantage to draft, develop and keep players.” This suggests that a patient approach relying primarily on future cap space might not yield the desired results for building around Doncic.
The LeBron Question: What Are His Options?
There has been limited discussion about LeBron James`s future beyond a statement from his agent, Rich Paul, after James opted into his $52.6 million salary for this season, and Pelinka`s comments during Doncic`s press conference.
“We want to respect his ability to come up with his timetable on that. I think that`s really important. But if he had a chance to retire as a Laker, that would be great,” Pelinka remarked regarding James.
For James to retire as a Laker while preserving 2027 cap space, he would likely need to sign a one-year contract. With a no-trade clause in his current contract, James maintains control over his immediate future, at least for this season, if he wished to play elsewhere.
In the unlikely event James requested a trade, finding a suitable suitor could be problematic:
- His former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, is deep in the second apron of the luxury tax and cannot aggregate contracts in trades. They also cannot sign James during the regular season if he were to be bought out of his contract.
- The Mavericks are below the second apron but would need to trade nearly half of their roster to acquire James.
- The Golden State Warriors are not financially constrained by the apron but have top-heavy contracts, leaving limited viable trade candidates.
- The Knicks possess Karl-Anthony Towns` $53.1 million salary, but acquiring him would mean the Lakers inheriting the $118 million he is owed after next season.
When James becomes a free agent next summer, he will attract numerous suitors. The crosstown Clippers could have sufficient funds to sign him outright and pair him with Kawhi Leonard. Meanwhile, championship-contending teams like Cleveland, New York, and Dallas would likely only be able to offer the veteran minimum exception in free agency. The Warriors would have the non-tax midlevel exception available.
However, consider that James will have earned $584 million on the court after his current Lakers contract expires. This prompts the ultimate question: Does the pursuit of a fifth championship outweigh the opportunity for another massive payday?
