LeBron James rumors: Warriors link, weird Luka Doncic fit, deadline dilemma

The NBA world was shattered last night as the Los Angeles Lakers acquired Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Anthony Davis and pocket change.

It's a truly baffling development. There isn't a better word to describe it. Mavs GM Nico Harrison has tried to defend his honor, but he just exposed himself as the league's least qualified and most inept decision-maker. There is not a single good basketball reason to make this trade. Dallas was in the NBA Finals last season and this roster was tailored directly to Luka's unique skill set. To blow it all up for an older, less durable 7-footer is comically misguided.

This is great news for Lakers fans, though, because of course it is. No organization is better at lucking into franchise-altering talent. God forbid the Lakers toil in uncertainty for a while as LeBron James nears retirement. Now, out of the blue, Los Angeles has its foundation for the next decade. It happens to be a future MVP who styles his basketball persona after Kobe Bryant and grew up idolizing LeBron.

Not to sound bitter, but Dallas has soiled its reputation and saved the Lakers' incompetent front office from a serious reckoning. The Mavs could have at least shopped Doncic to the rest of the league and received an all-time haul, but instead, Nico Harrison went straight for his former Nike client and did everything under the table. It numbs the mind.

Now questions swirl about the future of LeBron James, who was not informed of this trade ahead of time. LeGM was Leshocked when Pelinka signed, sealed, and delivered this trade to the league offense.

Here are the latest rumors around the four-time MVP and current face of NBA basketball.

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LeBron James plans to stay with Lakers past the NBA trade deadline

As soon as the dust settled on the Doncic trade, speculation about LeBron's immediate future began to percolate. This was a trade orchestrated in secret, without his approval. The Lakers would love to win it all with Doncic and James this season, but this was plainly a move to set up the future after LeBron.

That said, rather than seek a trade (or even leave the door open for another Rob Pelinka blockbuster), James will finish the campaign — and, in all likelihood, his career — with the Lakers. LeBron plans to remain in Los Angeles past the Feb. 6 trade deadline, per ESPN's Dave McMenamin.

The phrasing here is important. James has a no-trade clause, so if he "plans" on staying with the Lakers, he'll stay with the Lakers. This is not surprising news, but after the pure shock of the Doncic trade, it's nice to have some certainty on the matter. James will get to run out what's left of his contract as Doncic's co-star before journeying into the sunset as one of the NBA's all-time greats.

This is probably the final chapter in the singular story of LeBron's NBA career. He has shared the court with some great players, but Doncic is probably the best.

LeBron James, Luka Doncic make for fascinating (and potentially flawed) fit on Lakers

As for the basketball side of things, how the Lakers proceed from here will be fascinating. Their next trade priority ahead of the deadline is clear as day — Los Angeles needs a two-way center to fill the void left by AD. Doncic will supply incredible proficiency as a playmaker and scorer, but Los Angeles needs a dependable defensive anchor to have any real shot at postseason glory.

The Lakers' current center depth chart is comprised of Jaxson Hayes, Maxi Kleber, and Christian Koloko, who are all third-string bigs on most good teams. Kleber has some starting experience, but most of it came next to another 7-footer. The same can be said for Hayes in his prior stop with New Orleans.

Doncic and James isn't the most natural fit, but the real issue is the roster around them. Los Angeles has two traditionally ball-dominant creators and an otherwise limited collection of shooters or interior play-finishers. Who can Doncic and LeBron distribute to? Austin Reaves has long been a great backcourt complement to James, but defensively, there are grave concerns with a Doncic-Reaves-James triad.

Dorian Finney-Smith, Rui Hachimura, and Dalton Knecht all figure to occupy significant roles moving forward, but the Lakers need to boost the frontcourt depth chart and potentially reorganize a few key pieces. There's a good chance Reaves gets "demoted" to a sixth man role, for example. Then we can worry about how Doncic and James split touches, although one has to imagine LeBron is plenty content to let Doncic run the show at this stage of his career. It's a new role for LeBron, but his unmatched basketball IQ should make it a seamless transition.

LeBron James connected to Warriors as potential Lakers alternative

He isn't getting traded... but what if LeBron did want out? The Golden State Warriors called last season, when James didn't have a no-trade clause. The 20-time All-Star rejected those advances, but the Doncic trade does shift the power dynamics in the Lakers organization rather dramatically.

What if James doesn't enjoy his off-ball role so much? What if his waning influence in the Lakers' front office makes him restless? Doncic is bound to receive plenty of special attention.

These are potentially silly hypotheticals, but it all merits consideration. James and Stephen Curry share a deep bond, and league execs all peg Golden State as a natural landing spot should LeBron decide to leave Hollywood.

This isn't going to happen in the next five days, but LeBron could revisit a potential departure in the offseason depending on how the next few months go. We can never say never in this league, as evidenced by the preposterous fact that Doncic is now wearing purple and gold.