LeBron James made a stunning sacrifice during the 2025-26 season when he accepted a role as the third option on offense for the Los Angeles Lakers. It was a remarkable display of unselfishness from a four-time MVP who still ranks among the best players at his position.
If James is going to have a future with the Lakers that includes a fifth career championship, however, then he'll need to make an offseason sacrifice that clears a path for the Lakers to build a contender.
Los Angeles has a long list of weaknesses and a potentially massive contract to give out to a player who may retire at the end of the 2026-27 season. James may have a name that carries almost unparalleled weight, but the previous descriptor is the harsh reality of the situation at hand.
Though James' greatness and accolades may suggest otherwise, the Lakers have nothing but optimism in terms of reasons to believe they're ready to contend.
Seven of the Lakers' top nine players in minutes per game in 2025-26 either have a player option or are already confirmed for unrestricted free agency. An eighth, 24-year-old forward Jake LaRavia, is entering the final season of his current deal and will be an unrestricted free agent in 2027.
With this in mind, there's a clear solution if the four-time Finals MVP is open to it: The Lakers prioritizing re-signing James once the other issues have been resolved.
If LeBron wants Lakers to contend, they'll need the cap space to retool
On one hand, the mass exodus of current players is a concerning development that illuminates how many significant financial commitments the Lakers are going to have to make this summer. On the other, a golden opportunity exists for Los Angeles to recreate and revamp a flawed rotation.
Unfortunately, doing so after signing James to a near max-level deal would prove significantly more difficult than if they simply prioritize their weaknesses and attempt to fit him in after.
Los Angeles is in the market for no fewer than three types of players—all of whom could prove expensive to find. For one, the Lakers need a high-level point of attack defender who can take on the challenge of guarding opposing teams' best perimeter scorers.
Los Angeles also needs to find a starting-caliber center who can offer rim protection and fit Doncic's preferred style of play on offense.
Lakers should prioritize the future, re-sign LeBron once roster is sorted
The last of the three major areas of weakness in which the Lakers must improve is three-point shooting. They had no shortage of capable shooters in 2025-26, but they ranked No. 23 in three-point field goals made and No. 30 in catch-and-shoot threes.
James can certainly help in some of those areas, but the Lakers will need to invest considerable amounts of money into finding high-quality options who can play big postseason minutes.
On top of the search for roster improvements, the Lakers still need to re-sign Austin Reaves and make decisions on several key free agents, including Rui Hachimura and Luke Kennard. Though James has a strong case for being the best player in that group, the others have the benefit of projected multi-season value rather than the pending threat of retirement.
Re-signing James is an obviously valid goal to set, but the Lakers need to prioritize the future to make the most of free agency. James must decide if he's willing to be a part of that process.
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