"Announcement: LeBron James Agrees to Team Up with Luka Doncic"
According to various reports on Sunday, including one from NBA insider Chris Haynes, LeBron James is fully embracing the Los Angeles Lakers' significant changes to their roster and is committed to staying with the team beyond the NBA trade deadline on Thursday afternoon.
The Lakers' decision to pair James with Luka Doncic has been finalized, as they traded James' superstar teammate Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday in a move that sent shockwaves through the basketball world.
Although the James-Davis duo led the franchise to an NBA title in 2020, the Lakers have not had much success in the four full seasons since. They only made it to one Western Conference final in 2023, were eliminated in the first round twice, and missed the playoffs entirely in 2022.
Currently, the Lakers have a record of 28-19 and are in fifth place in the Western Conference as of Sunday.
James is currently in the first year of a two-year extension with a no-trade clause. He is also playing alongside his son Bronny for the first time, who has been moving between the G League and the Lakers this season.
While James is expected to remain in Los Angeles for his seventh season, the team's chances of a deep playoff run may depend on any additional trades they make in the upcoming days.
Although James had a close relationship with Davis, he has also praised Doncic in the past, even calling him his favorite player in a social media post from 2022. Doncic has also expressed his admiration for James.
The first game of the James-Doncic partnership is still unknown, as Doncic is recovering from a calf injury he sustained on Christmas Day.
Doncic, who will turn 26 later this month, is currently averaging 28.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 7.8 assists this season. In his seven seasons in the NBA, the Slovenia native has averaged 28.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 8.3 assists in 422 games (all starts).
In 2019, Doncic was named NBA Rookie of the Year at the age of 19. He has also finished in the top eight of MVP voting for the past five seasons, with his highest finish being third last season.
At 40 years old, James is currently averaging 24.0 points, 9.1 assists, and 7.6 rebounds in 44 games of his 22nd NBA season. The four-time MVP and four-time champion has averaged 27.0 points, 7.4 assists, and 7.5 rebounds in 1,536 career games (1,534 starts).
The Lakers have won six of their last seven games and have a record of 4-1 on their current six-game road trip, which will end with a game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday in Inglewood, California.
