Lakers get stern warning about life after LeBron James originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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It’s going to be weird watching the Los Angeles Lakers without LeBron James on the court. Think about it. It’s been eight seasons that people have watched James enter the golden years of his career in Los Angeles.
Now, he’s with the Philadelphia 76ers. He’s on a different coast. That’s a huge change for not just fans but also James and the Lakers franchise.
Now, the Lakers are getting a warning about life after LeBron and the moves they’ve made to try to get ready for the future. It might take a minute for the team to get back on its feet.
Lakers get cautioned in NBA power rankings
ESPN has unveiled its NBA power rankings going into the 2026 season. In it, they have the Lakers at No. 11, down from No. 9 last year.
In it, ESPN notes that losing James is obviously a blow. But they’re also worried about this team’s assets for the future.
“Eight hours before free agency officially opened, James’ agent, Rich Paul, informed the Lakers that his client would be moving on after eight seasons with the franchise. James’ exit signaled the start of retrofitting the roster around superstar Luka Doncic, beginning with a sign-and-trade with the Jazz for 7-2 center Kessler,” Dave McMenamin notes.
He adds, “L.A. opened its wallet (four years, $130 million) and all but exhausted its future assets (sending two unprotected first-round picks and two future pick swaps to Utah) to close the deal, which could make or break Doncic’s tenure as a Laker.”
So, there are some concerns for the Lakers in a post-LeBron world. But this franchise isn’t known for taking things lying down. It shouldn’t take long for the Lakers to get back on their feet.
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