The Los Angeles Lakers find themselves in a similar spot as they were in last season, as it looks like they are going to need to make it out of the Play-In Tournament in order to go on a deep playoff run. And assuming the Lakers don't have a successful playoff run, it looks like Kevin Garnett wants to see the team make a big move involving LeBron James over the offseason.
James' future with the Lakers has been the subject of much speculation in recent years, and it could come to a head once the current campaign is over. While James may consider leaving on his own accord, Garnett believes that the Lakers need to at least consider the possibility of moving the superstar forward before it's too late in order to ensure they will be a contender for many future years.
“I think at some point you’ve got to entertain that…You got to get ready for the future. At some point you’ve got to start saying ‘Where is the future? Where do we align with the OKC’s, the Minnesota's?' You’ve got to throw Denver in there…Are the Lakers built to go forward and battle that? You’ve got a dynamic big. Anthony Davis is a diamond in the rough bro, you don’t get those everyday. So you’ve got that, that’s a great anchor for your future.” – Kevin Garnett, KG Certified
Should the Lakers listen to Kevin Garnett's advice?
At some point, the Lakers are going to have to consider what life after LeBron will look like. They have invested quite a bit to build a championship contender around him, and while they won the 2020 NBA Finals, the results have been mixed ever since then. Garnett seems to believe their best path to contention may be to move on from James while they can and recoup some of the assets they lost in the process of trying to build their squad around him.
James has been coy about his feelings on sticking with the Lakers long-term, and of course, there's the question about what his son Bronny will do when it comes to potentially making the leap to the NBA. LeBron has made it clear he wants to play on the same team as his son if he makes it to the league, and that could influence what he decides to do this upcoming offseason.
Garnett is right in saying that, given LeBron's age, they may be better off building around Anthony Davis moving forward. But if the team manages to go on another deep playoff run this season, why would they break up their current core group? Much of LA's future rests on what happens in the playoffs, but if they crash out early, it may be time to heed Garnett's advice and explore the possibility of moving on from James.
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