Although there has been a flurry of activity around the NBA over the last few days, the Los Angeles Lakers have refrained from making any drastic changes. With Austin Reaves‘ place in the lineup secured for the foreseeable future, the Purple and Gold are certainly in a better position. However, this does raise questions about LeBron James‘ future with the team.
Although this move can be justified, ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith wasn’t too convinced by the implications for the Lakers. While speaking on “The Stephen A. Smith Show,” he emphasized that, without LeBron James, the Lakers had virtually no chance of winning the title.
“Let me be very clear. The Lakers ain’t winning s–t,” Smith began. “They ain’t winning a damn thing unless they keep LeBron James.”
“Here’s the tricky part about the Los Angeles Lakers. Austin Reaves deserves this raise. In today’s NBA economy, Austin Reaves earning over $40 million, over $45 million a year; in this case, he deserves it. He’s put in the time, he’s put in the work. He’s a hell of a basketball player… He deserves all the credit in the world.”
Smith continued to emphasize that even though some may argue that Reaves’ extension was an overpay, the Lakers’ guard had done enough to earn this raise. In light of this, however, he continued:
“But understand something, the Los Angeles Lakers don’t have a soul shivering in their boots. Not when the cornerstone of your franchise is Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. That ain’t going to work, I’m telling y’all right now. They can score on anybody. We know that. They can’t stop a cold.”
“The only way this works is if you find a way to keep LeBron James. Mr. 41 years of age, approaching 42, approaching his 24th season in the NBA. Still one of the greatest players in the world. Let’s stop acting like we don’t know. If you’re the Los Angeles Lakers, you’ve got to keep LeBron James.”
It was clear that LeBron James’ next contract would be one of the major talking points for the Lakers this summer. With uncertainty surrounding his decision to return, the Purple and Gold didn’t have the luxury to wait before offering Reaves an extension either.
Still, it is hard to argue with the points Stephen A. Smith makes.
Despite being 41, LeBron James was one of the Lakers’ most reliable players last season. Aside from his averages of 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game, James routinely adapted to different roles to help the team secure victories.
By the time the playoffs rolled around, the Purple and Gold looked battered and beaten. However, when push came to shove, James stepped up to the plate, posting phenomenal stats (23.2 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 7.3 APG) in the postseason to lead the Lakers past the Houston Rockets in the first round.
As Smith mentioned, while there is merit to hailing Luka Doncic as the face of the franchise, LeBron James was the only available superstar in the playoffs. Doncic may be the better player at this point, but given his recurring injury concerns, the Purple and Gold may need a more durable asset to support him.
Signing LeBron James in free agency only seems feasible if the Lakers are willing to offer him a max contract. But considering how this could effectively weaken their chances of adding more reinforcements, the hesitation to do so is also understandable.
At the current juncture, the Lakers and James appear to be at an impasse. But given how easy it would be to get caught up in all the action around the league at the moment, the Purple and Gold may benefit from being more patient.
