The Los Angeles Lakers were able to avoid having a considerable cloud hanging over their 2022-23 season on Wednesday when they secured LeBron James’ signature on a two-year extension worth $97.1 million.
That deal locks James in through the 2023-24 season at minimum, with both he and Anthony Davis now holding player options for that summer — which as many will note, also coincides with the summer Bronny James will first become draft eligible. With James now in L.A. for at least two more years, the Lakers know that they have at least a two-year title window. The problem is, they don’t currently have a roster that many outside the most optimistic Lakers fans would tell you is a championship roster.
As such, there are deals needed to be worked out, and according to Marc Stein, that was part of the conversation that preceded James’ extension signing. Per Stein, the Lakers have promised that they’ll be willing to deal both their 2027 and 2029 picks in a deal, something they have not been eager to do to this point, largely due to the possibility that James could have walked this coming summer if he wanted to.
L.A. has nonetheless pledged to James that it will indeed continue to aggressively pursue upgrades. League sources say James, in fact, has been assured that the Lakers are willing to trade both of their available future first-round picks in 2027 and 2029 if a trade that costs them both picks can realistically position the Lakers to return to contender status.
This report from Stein comes a day after Jovan Buha of The Athletic reported that James has remained insistent the Lakers upgrade the roster, specifically by dealing for his former teammate with the Cavs, Kyrie Irving.
The primary complication in James’ decision was that he has been privately adamant that the Lakers still need to improve the current roster and trade for superstar point guard Kyrie Irving, league sources have told The Athletic.
An Irving trade still seems contingent on the Nets finding a suitor for Kevin Durant, with many expecting talks on the former MVP to drag into camp. On top of that, the Lakers haven’t seemed particularly interested in giving up a ton for Irving, not simply because they want to hold future flexibility but because they don’t seem to trusting of Irving as the sole answer to their problems. There have been reports that the Lakers have understandable questions about Irving’s commitment, and while James wants his former co-star back alongside him no matter the cost, the Lakers brass might not be quite as sold on Kyrie as the solution.
What will be fascinating to see in the coming months is whether the Lakers can find a different deal that might address more needs on this roster that would also satiate LeBron. One wonders if the Buddy Hield-Myles Turner package talks with the Pacers get kickstarted again, or if the Lakers, now willing to apparently part with a pair of picks, go out and seek an even bigger name in a potential deal, any of which will have to send Russell Westbrook somewhere else for financial reasons (among others).