Lakers Shouldn't Panic if LeBron James Leaves This Offseason

I don’t want to hear all doom and gloom if LeBron James doesn’t resign with the Los Angeles Lakers. I actually believe the Lakers would be better off without LeBron James and here is why.

Pascal Siakam and Corresponding Moves

James has fought Father Time valiantly, but time has never lost. The Lakers, if LeBron James and DeAngelo Russell were to opt out and become free agents, it would set up a huge amount of cap space for a new coach and GM Rob Pelinka to fill and mold. Pascal Siakam, a champion in every way, will get some serious money this offseason.

He just turned 30 and is in his prime. I believe he and Anthony Davis would complement each other well, and you could still rest one of them and have a great defender in the post. The corresponding move would have to be Donovan Mitchell or Darius Garland with Jarrett Allen.

Cavaliers Could Be The Lakers Saving Grace

The Cleveland Cavaliers have too many players at two certain positions that could start for other teams, point guard and center. This makes them a perfect match for the Lakers in a trade. Austin Reaves will only be a part of a package if the Lakers can get a star in return.

If we’d get Garland, I think we keep Reaves. If we get Mitchell, Reaves is gone. I keep mentioning Jarret Allen because, even with injuries this year, is a terrific defender. With Davis’s injury history, I’m getting every contingency I can get if I’m the Lakers.

A Needed Reset

The Lakers cannot be a team looking for quick fixes anymore. Moving LeBron James would show Lakers fans that they would have to suck it up and go through a rebuild. The Lakers have always had star players, but LeBron James, in my mind, is not a true Laker. Lakers usually create a culture around players.

For the last five years, we’ve been building everything for LeBron’s culture. That has never worked for any team in NBA history building a championship team around one guy. The Western Conference is too deep to think like that anymore even for the second-best player in NBA history. Feel free to send us ideas of who you think should be in the purple and gold next year.

Don’t give up hope Lakers Nation.

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