The Los Angeles Lakers’ playoff elimination has sparked intense debate about the future direction of the franchise, particularly regarding their two superstars.
NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith didn’t hold back when discussing how the Lakers should approach the LeBron James-Luka Doncic dynamic moving forward.
Smith believes the Lakers need to make a definitive choice about who will be the centerpiece of their future plans.
According to Smith, the Lakers can no longer treat LeBron James as the team’s primary star due to his age and contract situation.
“How much time left does LeBron James have? Yes, he has a player option. Yes, we anticipate that. He’ll be back next season, but LeBron is free to walk if he wants to,” Smith said on First Take.
“The bottom line is, if assuming he stays, how long is that going to be for? Luka is going to be around for the next decade. You look at LeBron as being year to year at this point.”
Smith emphasized that the franchise should build around Doncic, whose future in Los Angeles could potentially be secured long-term.
Even though he would enter the free agent next year, Doncic becomes eligible for a massive four-year, $229 million extension on August 2nd.
However, maximizing Doncic’s talents presents its own challenges. Smith believes the Lakers need to grant him similar freedom to what he enjoyed in Dallas.
“And if JJ is coaching the Los Angeles Lakers, he’s saying ‘Okay, this is the cat that we got to rely on’.
“And it can’t be what they were saying in Dallas, that he was running the show, operating to his own,” Smith explained.
The analyst highlighted the immense pressure Doncic faces in Los Angeles, especially after his disappointing performance in the first-round elimination against the Timberwolves, where he faced criticism about his defense and physical conditioning.
“Because the expectations in Los Angeles, when it comes to the Lakers, are championship,” Smith declared. “Every major star that has ever worn the purple and gold has captured a championship. Is Luka going to be the one?”
