The Los Angeles Lakers would be forced to give out either LeBron James or Luka Doncic because Luka Doncic is not even a part of the Los Angeles Lakers; he plays for the Dallas Mavericks. In March 2025, there were no reports of Luka Doncic’s performance with the Lakers, as he hasn’t been traded to the Lakers.
If we assume a hypothetical scenario where the Lakers did acquire Luka Doncic, ESPN analyst Tim Legler discussed the possibility of Doncic leaving the Lakers after James retires. According to Legler, Doncic’s situation is different from James’, as he wasn’t a free agent who chose the Lakers. Instead, he’d be coming off a trade, which might affect his decision to stay.
