Los Angeles Lakers: How a post-LeBron James era could look like
What other moves could the Lakers make?
If the Los Angeles Lakers wanted to keep pace as a championship contender in the Western Conference post-LeBron, a splash move via free agency or trade would have to be on the horizon. That would need to happen as soon as next summer of even in 2025.
Here is a list of top free agents that would be on the open market each of the next two summers:
Top 2024 FAs
- Pascal Siakam
- Buddy Hield
- Klay Thompson
- DeMar DeRozan
- James Harden
Top 2025 FAs
- Ben Simmons
- Jamal Murray
- Brandon Ingram
- Paul George
- OG Anunoby
- Jrue Holiday
- Kawhi Leonard
- Lauri Markkanen
- Malcolm Brogdon
- Myles Turner
On top of those possibilities, there is also a trove of other star-level players that could be had via trade. A few of the next slate of stars that could find their way to the trade block next are Joel Embiid, Zach LaVine, Donovan Mitchell, Trae Young, and Karl-Anthony Towns. That’s not even considering the surprise star that may ask for out in the next 1-2 seasons.
If they wanted, the Lakers could attempt to add one of these star-level talents in a post-LeBron era. What’s an ideal possibility, considering this list, for the Lakers? Off the top of my head, a trio of Jamal Murray, Austin Reaves, and Anthony Davis could be something that would excite fans in a post-LeBron era.
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It’s fun to think about but it’s completely impossible to predict how the next couple of seasons go for the Lakers and how LeBron plays into them. But a post-LeBron era is something that the Lakers have to already be thinking about.