LeBron James replacement reportedly cooking at Lakers amid team-up rumours with Steph Curry
As the superstar's retirement approaches, the Lakers have reportedly set their sights on a younger talent for the post-LeBron James era.
The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly looking for their next big superstar to put on the Purple and Gold uniform after LeBron James. Although the evergreen Olympian is still on the NBA team's roster for at least another season, the 2025-26 season will potentially be his last, as the power legendary forward enters his 40s. He's already hung up his Captain LeMerica cape for the 2028 Summer Olympics for the same reason and has heavily insinuated his inevitable retirement.
Despite his age, the Bball star races towards every challenge in his path like there's no tomorrow. The LeBron James-shaped hole in the Lakers squad will be hard to fill. Nevertheless, the team must prepare for the post-James era sooner or later, just like his arrival in 2018, which ultimately injected new fervour into game fever after Kobe Bryant announced his retirement in April 2016.
According to insider Kevin O'Connor, Dallas Mavericks star guard Luka Doncic might just be the answer to the Lakers' problems. Staying a step ahead, the NBA team has reportedly already set its sights on welcoming him to the roster.
Rumours about LA Lakers' plans for the post-LeBron James era?
“I've reported on this podcast and on The Ringer how they have their sights set for Luka in the future,” The Ringer's O'Connor said on Friday. “We'll see if that works out. Dallas just made a Finals, Dallas is looking better than ever with their supporting cast. That may not work out, but the Lakers by not trading their future picks clearly are still thinking long-term at this point. They're not going all in like you might expect many teams to do with James.”
However, stealing him from the Mavericks might present the Lakers a test against time. As of now, the Dallas player has no reason to leave the team, considering he is coming off his first-ever finals appearance in his six-year NBA career. But a long road, decked with successful destinations, lies ahead of him.
LeBron James-Steph Curry team-up rumours light up after Olympic gold win
These speculations add to the rumour mill's discussion of another potential team-up between James and Golden State Warriors star point guard Steph Curry, fresh off their 2024 Olympic gold win in Paris. Although fans fully know how unlikely this journey is, could anything ever really stop rumours from breeding?
The situation further slipped out of control when, three days ago, Curry shared a heartfelt post on social media dedicated to his Olympic teammates, LeBron James and Kevin Durant. Akin to the fans losing all calm over this once-in-a-lifetime lineup for Team USA, Steph captioned his Instagram post, “Same Team… Winning Team.” James even nicknamed this year's US men's basketball team the “Avengers."
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Moreover, hours after the team took home the golden victory at the finals against the host country, fans were emotional about the unexpected coming to fruition with the golden trio's fates aligning with the nation's Olympic legacy. In addition to James' truancy at the next Olympics, Curry and Durant will most likely not join the LA 28 squad either due to the age reason.
Is the future of the NBA in good hands?
The trio's future exit from the court will be an excessively teary affair. Former NBA guard Avery Johnson also considered the superstars' impact on the game, but he still believes the future of the league is in good hands.
“I think the NBA is in good shape,” Johnson affirmed, naming a few younger talents like Victor Wembanyama, Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. “We have some guys that are future stars, and I believe this next draft with Cooper Flagg coming out in the 2025 draft,” he added while appearing on the “The Mark Jackson Show” Episode 72.
