The Los Angeles Lakers' offseason has officially begun.
The Lakers' 2024-25 postseason run came to a screeching halt on Wednesday night with Game 5's 103-96 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Although it wasn't the outcome that L.A. fans hoped for, the team's early elimination isn't all that surprising given the various roster holes, especially in the frontcourt.
After all, the Lakers lacked a reliable big man after trading Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Luka Doncic. The rescinded Mark Williams deadline trade only made Los Angeles more desperate for big-man help, head coach JJ Redick to roll with Jaxson Hayes and Alex Len as his top frontcourt options.
LeBron James Takes Shot at Lakers Front Office After Game 5 Loss
Unsurprisingly, the Lakers' center-less roster was a hot topic following the Game 5 elimination. L.A. superstar LeBron James was asked if his team's lack of centers made things harder, prompting the four-time NBA MVP to give an eyebrow-raising quote when asked about the situation.
"No comment," James said (h/t @TheDunkCentral). "I never say that because my guy AD said what he needed, and then he was gone the following week. I've got no comment. I put that uniform on every night and gave everything I had, and that's all that matters."
Even though three months have passed since Davis was traded, it's clear James isn't happy that his good friend is no longer with the team. Any good general manager would say yes to acquiring a talent like Doncic 10 out of 10 times, however, that doesn't change the fact that certain bonds can't be replicated.
Having said that, Davis' disdain for playing center is well known among Lakers fans. The comments that James referred to came on Jan. 24 when The Athletic's Johan Buha asked the former Los Angeles big man about his preference playing power forward.
"I just feel a little more effective (at the 4)," Davis said one week before being traded. "The front office knows that. I've told them that every year I've been here. So it's nothing new. I just feel like, personally, I'm a better player at the 4."
Whether or not those quotes directly led to Davis' trade will likely never be known, but it's clear James thinks they might have.
At the same time, "The King" likely isn't at risk of suffering the same fight as Davis. James is the only person who can control his destiny this offseason due to his $52.6 million player option, as well as the fact that he'll have a full no-trade clause if he does opt into another year with the Lakers.
In other words, James will only leave L.A. if that's what he wants.
After being unceremoniously dumped from the playoffs, the Lakers absolutely must bolster their frontcourt this offseason. Los Angeles won't go far with the likes of Alex Len and Jaxson Hayes as the top centers, and must replace the pending free-agent duo with more consistent centers — whether James stays or leaves.