The Los Angeles Lakers' offseason has officially begun after their 2024-25 NBA playoff run lasted a whopping five games. A poorly constructed roster was the main culprit behind the Lakers' inability to survive the Minnesota Timberwolves, sending general manager Rob Pelinka and head coach JJ Redick back to the drawing board to begin May.
Whichever direction the offseason heads in, any potential moves the Lakers make will likely be done with LeBron James and Luka Doncic in mind. Having said that, neither superstar's future in L.A. is all that clear.
James must decide on his upcoming $52.6 million player option, and it doesn't even sound like he's certain if he'll continue playing basketball at this point. Meanwhile, Doncic is only under contract for next season ($45.9 million) before needing to make a decision on his own $48.9 million option.
Lakers News: LeBron James Won't Pressure Luka Doncic to Stay in L.A.
Most Lakers fans want to see Doncic stick around in Los Angeles and have been hoping James could convince the Slovenian star to stay. After all, the 40-year-old icon is one of the most alluring basketball players of all time, and most players would do anything they can to play alongside the four-time NBA MVP.
That's why Lakers fans were shocked on Friday when James revealed he won't pressure Doncic to make a decision, one way or another.
"That ain't my job," James told ESPN's Dave McMenamin. "Luka knows how I feel about him. And ultimately, that trade happened for the future... He's (26) years old, I'm 40, so he can't be basing his career off me. That's just real."
Even though James' comments caught some Lakers supporters off guard, his refusal to intervene in a potential Doncic extension doesn't mean he's over the duo's partnership. In fact, "The King" made it abundantly clear that he wants the five-time NBA All-Star back in the City of Angels for as long as possible.
"But I hope, obviously, (Doncic stays long term). Laker fans (expletive) love him here. L.A. has accepted him," James admitted. "We love him as a teammate, as a brother. But ultimately, he's got to make a decision for him. (Expletive), I ain't going to be around much longer."
Reading between the lines, despite his uncertain future, it sounds like James is more than willing to run things back with Doncic again. Having said that, the Lakers can't go far with the duo until they properly round out the roster, which means addressing both frontcourt- and wing-related needs.
Swapped for Anthony Davis before the trade deadline, it didn't take long for Doncic to carve out a soft spot in Lakers fans' hearts. The 26-year-old offensive dynamo averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.5 assists, and .438/.379/.791 in 28 regular-season games with L.A., before averaging 30.2 PTS/7.0 REB/5.8 AST during the team's brief playoff run.
The Lakers have treated Doncic well since acquiring him three months ago. It'll be up to GM Pelinka & Co. to continue that stellar treatment if they want to keep the standout difference-maker in town next season and beyond.