The Los Angeles Lakers won the NBA Championship three seasons ago, but the front office has been abysmal in retooling their roster alongside generational talent LeBron James. It has been downhill from there as the Lakers are closer to receiving the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft than winning the chip. With James still one of the top players in the NBA at age 38, it might be time for Los Angeles to ponder on moving on from him in exchange for future assets.

The questionable moves of the front office have hindered their future because they only have a couple of first-round picks in the next seven years, meaning they will need to invest solely in trades and free-agent signing to bolster their roster. With a massive management change, that may not spiral into a larger problem. Thus, these are a couple of changes they can execute if LeBron James wants out by the offseason.

Miami Heat

It's not that crazy for LeBron James to return to the Miami Heat because of his familiarity with that city and organization. His final year in Miami did not end on a terrific note, but they could rehash their previous differences and vie for another championship. The Heat reached the Conference Finals last season and the Finals three years ago, so it shows that they are a win-now team with their current lineup.

Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Kyle Lowry are not getting any younger, and the only individual with a bright future from their young nucleus is Tyler Herro. With the East improving immensely every season, Miami can do the same by striving to reach the mountaintop once again. The Heat still owns all their first-round picks except in 2025, so any of their pieces excluding Butler can be available along with a couple of first-round selections.

Toronto Raptors

Another East coast team who can be in serious discussions for LeBron James if he indeed becomes available is the Toronto Raptors. When Kevin Durant requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets, the Raptors were one of the legitimate destinations because of the plethora of assets Toronto can offer for any superstar. If they had the package to send for Durant, they can send a similar one to Los Angeles for James.

The age difference is a major point of consideration, so Toronto must not make the mistake of investing too much in a superstar who may leave after numerous seasons. The barometer they can utilize is how they acquired Kawhi Leonard from the San Antonio Spurs as they knew it was unlikely for him to stay with the Raptors for the long term. With the Raptors plummeting this year, the challenge is to formulate a combination that will force the Lakers to pull the trigger.

New Orleans Pelicans

The funniest and arguably the most unrealistic from this list is the New Orleans Pelicans. Imagine a team with LeBron James and Zion Williamson and the myriad of highlights on a nightly basis. However, what makes the trade improbable from the Pelicans point of view is investing all their future draft capital for James who will retire in a couple of seasons.

New Orleans may decide to wait for a superstar who will stay in their city for a minimum of five years and possibly build a consistent threat in the Western Conference. The Pelicans can offer the best player in the deal though, which is Brandon Ingram. He has been hounded by injuries, and the Pelicans have proven to continuously win without him. The dilemma is adding LeBron James if he is available or waiting for someone like Karl Anthony-Towns or James Harden to be available.