On Monday evening, the Los Angeles Lakers’ season came to an end at the hands of a 4-0 sweep by the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals. Among the jubilance of Denver’s first NBA Finals appearance in franchise history, a somewhat dark cloud emerged as we got a closer look into the Lakers’ side of things. When asked about his immediate future in his post-game presser, LeBron James responded with “I got a lot to think about,” leading to the belief that retirement may be on the table for the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and four-time NBA champion. The cryptic message raised eyebrows across the world and ESPN’s Dave McMenamin got an even deeper look into why James may call it quits this summer. A source close to the situation alluded to the physical and emotional toll this playoff run took on LeBron as he chased a fifth ring, and how it may lead to LeBron leaving the game behind him.
James’ teammate Anthony Davis was originally shocked to hear of James’ comments about his future but, after further recollection, remembered a conversation he and LeBron had about his future. James had suggested that he might have one more Olympics run in him in 2024, or he may have hung up his sneakers by that time. The uncertainty about James’ future altogether raises serious questions about how the Lakers handle their offseason, including the chances, however slight they may be, that they proceed to 2023-24 with James, not in the picture.
Now, let me be clear about one thing. There is no such thing as simply replacing LeBron James. In order to get a true contender back on the court next season for the Lakers without LeBron, they would need to go out and get a superstar. They would have to pair this superstar with Anthony Davis, and that player would want to play with Davis as well. What would also need to happen is that these players would have to request a trade, and teams would have to be willing to discuss with the Lakers to accommodate a deal. This shouldn’t be hard, considering that at some point, every player has dreamt of playing for the Lakers and would at least consider the opportunity. Although I feel that James will be back for his 21st season, there are a few scenarios that could work out well for L.A. if James decides to retire.
These are the NBA players that could replace LeBron James on the Los Angeles Lakers if he decided to retire this summer.
Zion Williamson
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It would certainly take some convincing for New Orleans to listen to the Lakers about the inquiry into Zion Williamson, but not much. Zion Williamson was the prized possession in the 2019 NBA Draft, going first overall to New Orleans. He would play just 24 games as a rookie and has played only 114 games in four seasons after a number of injuries and issues with fluctuating weight have frustrated the organization that drafted him.
With these frustrations building and the idea of a Williamson/Davis frontcourt being very intriguing, the Lakers would definitely try to pry Zion away from The Big Easy. Now, the Pelicans would have to include more than just Zion, like, say, CJ McCollum or Herb Jones, to make the money match up. Zion and Davis together would be a dynamic, high-scoring, and athletic frontcourt, but perhaps the one we would worry about the most on this list health-wise. The Lakers would welcome Zion with open arms, but the Pelicans will try to pry the Lakers’ draft second-round picks from 2028 and 2029 combined with Rui Hachimura and one of Russell/Reaves as well to make it official.
Ja Morant
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The idea of a Ja Morant to the Lakers trade is one we have explored before but would benefit both the Lakers and Grizzlies in a LeBron-less NBA. For the Lakers, Morant would likely cost D’Angelo Russell in a sign-and-trade as well as Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, and a 2029 First-Round draft pick. This deal gives Memphis the compensation and peace of mind they seek from any Morant deal, while the Lakers receive their point guard of the future and a perfect partner alongside Anthony Davis.
Does Morant bring the things to the court that LeBron James does? No, but he does a few things very well and puts fans in the seats. Morant’s dynamic play, combined with Davis’ all-world defensive efforts, could make for some serious highlights in transition and on fast breaks. Morant may not give the Lakers a full replacement for James, but he would certainly benefit from the presence of so many all-time greats in his ear and pointing him in the right direction.
Damian Lillard
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Damian Lillard has already let it be known to the world that he wants to win now. This means he would finally be willing to leave Portland if they fail yet again to put a championship team around him. Well, if LeBron James were to retire and Lillard asked out, there is no doubt a deal would be discussed. A package for Lillard would have to include a sign-and-trade for D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, and a 2029 First-Round pick.
Lillard would be a great start for life after LeBron in Los Angeles, immediately injecting one of the biggest names in the sport and one of the greatest three-point shooters ever into their lineup. Lillard and Davis could work a beautiful inside-outside game that allows each of them to take over whenever they want to. When Davis gets hot and inevitably doubled down low, Lillard will be waiting on the perimeter to find his shot or create by taking it to the rim. When Lillard gets going and hitting from anywhere on the court, that’s when Davis will get his opportunities. It is a win-win for the Lakers and Damian Lillard, but does Portland pull the trigger?
Jayson Tatum
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The next three deals would have to have all of the right pieces fall into place and are nothing short of a stretch to have to happen, but it still is possible. Jayson Tatum will be a free agent in 2025 and will undoubtedly opt out of the last year of his deal with Boston. After another disappointing end to their 2023 campaign, emotions and nostalgia could take over for Tatum, leading him to push for a deal to L.A. Tatum was a diehard Kobe Bryant and Lakers fan growing up and wouldn’t pass up the chance to wear the same threads his 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥hood hero wore for 20 years.
The duo of Jayson Tatum and Anthony Davis leading this Lakers squad would certainly make them a top team in the West. Tatum has spent the better part of his career advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals with Boston and would be a perfect complement to Davis’ game. The versatility of Tatum on offense could free up Davis to dominate in the paint where he is most comfortable, and Tatum would have more freedom to do what he wants from the perimeter. It would be a tough duo to stop and could possibly get the Lakers even further than they did in 2022-23.
Joel Embiid
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The rumors of Joel Embiid requesting a trade began the minute they were eliminated by the Boston Celtics in the 2023 NBA playoffs. A trade for the reigning MVP would most likely have to include the package of Hachimura, Reaves, Russell, and the 2029 first-round pick the Lakers own. Embiid would also have to want to join Davis in Los Angeles, which could be a possibility when we think about it further.
Embiid has already been paired with some great talent at the guard and forward positions in his career. The Sixers have failed, with Jimmy Butler, James Harden, and Ben Simmons sharing the court with Embiid. Maybe now, it is time that he pairs himself with a great big man to form one of the greatest frontcourts in NBA history. Think about it. This would make for one of the best scoring, rebounding, and defending duos ever assembled. In 2022-23, Davis and Embiid combined for 59.0 PPG and 22.7 RPG, along with 3.7 BPG. Are you going to tell me that duo can’t lead the Lakers to another NBA championship and make the Lakers forget about having to watch LeBron walk away?
Giannis Antetokounmpo
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As incredible as a deal for Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Lakers is in theory, it also needs a lot to happen in order for it to become a reality. After such a tumultuous season that saw the Bucks eliminated in the first round of the NBA playoffs and his head coach fired, maybe Giannis requests out of Milwaukee after all? I know, it seems like a Hail Mary and an extreme hypothetical, but this whole list hinges on a big hypothetical anyway. If Giannis were to ever request a trade, the Lakers would be one of the first in line to discuss a deal whether LeBron retired or not.
The deal would most likely include the package of Russell, Reaves, Hachimura, and the 2029 first-round pick that we have spoken about a few times already, but the Bucks would also seek possibly more compensation with, say, Jarred Vanderbilt or Lonnie Walker. This deal would make the Lakers not only instant title contenders but instant title favorites, in my opinion. With two of the best two-way players in the game and one of the best players in the world with Giannis, the Lakers would be looking at a potential dynasty moving forward. If it didn’t work out, Los Angeles could look to move on from Davis and build around Giannis, which isn’t their primary goal but isn’t such a bad backup plan either.
