With the Los Angeles Lakers falling so short of expectations during the 2021-22 NBA season, there has been a lot of speculation about what will come of the franchise in the coming months. One of the things people will be keeping their eyes on is the extension discussions for LeBron James.
James is eligible for an extension this offseason, which the Lakers should work hard on hammering out. If James does not sign an extension, they will have to deal with rumors and chatter about him leaving as a free agent in 2023.
That is a situation that Los Angeles would like to avoid. Locking James into an extension would provide some stability to an organization that desperately needs it. It will be easier to rebuild the roster and convince players to join the team knowing that James is locked in.
As we saw this season, James is still capable of producing big numbers. The biggest concern now, as he is 37-years old, is his health. He has missed more games the last two seasons with the Lakers than he has at any point in his career as Father Time is knocking on the door.
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Bringing in younger players that are more capable of handling a larger load is something the Lakers should be looking into. If that is not something James can get here, could he look to leave and join a team that has that?
The Cleveland Cavaliers have been a popular potential destination for James, as they are amid their first winning season sans-James this century. They have a ton of young talent that will only get better in the coming years. But, according to Brian Windhorst, one team and player to keep an eye on when it comes to James teaming up with is Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks.
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“The best way you can see how LeBron feels about people is who he drafts in his All-Star draft. … He’s drafted Luka Doncic all three years he’s been an All-Star.”
All-Star Weekend is essentially where legal tampering occurs between players. They are all going to talk and it is a chance to pitch people on teaming up down the road. As Windhorst has pointed out, LeBron James uses the time during the All-Star break to build those relationships that could pay off down the road.
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Teaming up with Luka Doncic would be a lot of fun for basketball fans to witness. Doncic is one of the best young players in the NBA currently and the Dallas Mavericks are looking to cement themselves as contenders in the Western Conference.
