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0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. Did you hear that LeBron James left the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason? Yes, that's a joke, because it's pretty much all anyone could talk about in the NBA when he was making his decision about where to go.
James' run in Los Angeles came to an end just hours before free agency officially opened, when his agent, Rich Paul, informed the Lakers that James would be moving on after eight seasons with the franchise. It marked the end of one of the most successful eras in recent Lakers history and officially closed the book on a partnership that delivered plenty of memorable moments.
His leaving also made one thing clear: this is Luka Doncic's team now.
The Lakers seemed to know it was coming, so they wasted little time reshaping the roster around their new centerpiece. Their biggest move was trading for Walker Kessler, sending two unprotected first-round picks and two future pick swaps to Utah in a deal that showed just how committed the organization is to building around Doncic.
It's a gamble. Kessler gives the Lakers the size they wanted in the middle, but the price was steep. The powers didn't just spend money by handing him a four-year, $130 million contract. They also pushed a significant amount of its future draft capital into the middle of the table.
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The rest of the offseason followed the same theme. Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton and Sandro Mamukelashvili all joined the roster, while Marcus Smart, Deandre Ayton, Luke Kennard and Jaxson Hayes moved on.
So, that doesn't make replacing LeBron any easier. But, it's a lot of change and makes a statement.
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Players like James don't come around very often, and his impact stretched well beyond the scoreboard. Leadership, experience and the ability to deliver in big moments aren't things that can be filled by one signing or one trade.
The Lakers understand that. So, everything now revolves around Doncic, and the success of this roster could ultimately depend on whether the organization made the right call by going all-in on the players around him.
For the first time in nearly a decade, the Lakers are moving forward without LeBron. That alone makes this one of the most fascinating seasons the franchise has faced in years.
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