It goes without saying that the Los Angeles Lakers' 2025-26 season will be a massively important one, as their 26-year-old generational talent Luka Dončić prepares to author his first full campaign for the storied franchise alongside the 40-year-old future Hall of Famer LeBron James.
Unfortunately, James' recently reported sciatica diagnosis will keep the 21-time All-Star out of action for at least 3-4 weeks, making Dončić's beginning to the year even more pivotal.
James' future was already up in the air before his latest injury announcement, but one NBA insider has suggested that his prolonged absence can have a much more dire impact on the Lakers' immediate future than anyone realizes.
With all eyes, including James', squared solely on Dončić to begin the new season, recent reports have indicated that the Lakers' start to the year could trigger a trade request from the the 4-time NBA champion and Finals MVP.
"LeBron is going to be watching this team while he's out," ESPN's Dave McMenamin shared during a recent NBA Today appearance Friday.
"If while he's out (the Lakers) are struggling, that could lead to the next step that we could see at some point this season."
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"The priority (at) this stage is to win. If they're not winning, maybe he's going to have to go elsewhere to find that winning combination."
Though the Lakers certainly have high expectations and are positioned to nab a guaranteed postseason berth with a rebuilt Dončić and improved supporting cast, a turbulent season or another major injury could seemingly mark the end of James' tenure in Los Angeles.
McMenamin noted that among the possible outcomes from the 2025-26 season for James, he could retire a Laker after this season, re-sign with the team in the summer of 2026, sign elsewhere as a free agent, or demand a trade from Los Angeles as the deadline approaches in early February.
Of those potential situations, a trade request cannot be ruled out, especially due in large part to James' age.
The all-time great and extremely versatile wing can still offer a lot to a championship team, but many have begun to wonder if his fit alongside a fellow ball-dominant play-maker like Dončić will be conducive to winning in the near future, especially after James eventually returns from injury.
While it remains unlikely that the All-NBA Second Team selection from 2024-25 would force his way out in the middle of his eighth season with the organization, James' hunger to win a fifth NBA championship might steer him in another direction come the trade deadline.
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