LeBron James 100% is in support of Lakers’ decision to make Luka Doncic the next franchise player
LeBron James clarified his future with the Lakers following their addition of Luka Doncic as the next face of the franchise.
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LeBron James excited for Lakers' future with Luka Doncic
LeBron James initially thought the Los Angeles Lakers’ decision to trade for Luka Doncic was a joke. Like many fans, he found it hard to believe that the Dallas Mavericks front office had moved on from their 25-year-old franchise cornerstone in favor of Anthony Davis. But after the dust settled, James made it clear that he fully supports the Lakers’ shift toward the future with Doncic as their new centerpiece.
The move to trade for Doncic signaled a clear change in direction for the Lakers. Trading Davis, a solid pairing with James, with whom the Lakers won a championship in 2020, meant prioritizing longevity over the possibility of immediate title contention. While in no way are the Lakers out of the title race, they are certainly looking ahead to their future post-LeBron James, and the veteran star is ready to embrace it.
What’s wrong with that? If I had concerns, I would’ve waived my no-trade clause and got up out of here. I’m here right now. I’m committed to the Lakers organization. I’m here to help Luka and Maxi (Kleber) make the transition as smooth as possible…As the leader of the team, as one of the captains of the team, it’s my job to make it as seamless as possible.
James said Tuesday
LeBron James, when asked about the Lakers making the Luka Doncic trade with an eye on the future, replied, “What’s wrong with that? If I had any concerns I would have waived my no trade clause and got up out of here” pic.twitter.com/iMPxgOph83
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) February 5, 2025
James’ statement leaves no doubt about where he stands. Despite being in the twilight of his career, he is ready to embrace the Lakers’ decision to build around a younger star rather than cashing in their future around the ageing core of James and Davis. More importantly, perhaps, James’ willingness to stick by his no-trade clause makes it clear that if he had wanted out, he had the power to leave. But he isn’t.
Instead, LeBron James looks forward to staying and taking on a leadership role in integrating Luka Doncic and other revolving pieces into the team to set the future course for the Lakers while also getting their roster prepared for a potentially deep playoff run this season.
Luka Doncic’s return timeline: When will the Lakers’ latest star make his debut?
Luka Doncic is officially a Laker, but his debut in the vaunted purple and gold still awaits. After suffering a calf strain during the Mavericks’ Christmas Day game, in what would turn out to be his final game in a Mavericks uniform, Doncic has been sidelined for over a month. As he returns to competitive conditioning and 5×5 practice, TNT’s Jared Greenberg provided an update on a return timeline.
According to the reports by Greenberg and the Lakers organization, the medical and coaching staff of the team are targeting Saturday’s game against the Indiana Pacers as the probable Laker debut for the Slovenian star. Doncic is presently set to participate in his first 5×5 practice since going down with the injury over a month ago, the results of which will determine the exact timeline of his return.
If all goes well, the Lakers could well see their franchise star debuting within the week, although Lakers GM Rob Pelinka had already waived a note of caution regarding Doncic’s possible return. At present, Luka Doncic is the Lakers’ primary asset, and the team is making sure that he only returns to the hardwood once he is completely cleared of any possible medical setbacks.
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Armaan Gupta
(397 Articles Published)