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May 1, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Lebron James (23) warms up prior to game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. © Erik Williams-Imagn Images
LeBron James’ exit from the Los Angeles Lakers has sparked immediate debate over what comes next for the franchise. While the organization can now fully commit to building around Slovenian sensation Luka Dončić, NBA analyst Nick Wright believes there is little evidence the Lakers can construct a championship roster around another superstar.
Nick Wright Questions the Lakers’ Plan After LeBron James Gives Way to Luka Dončić
James officially ended his eight-year stint with the Lakers after informing the franchise through Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul that he intends to continue his career elsewhere. The move shifts the spotlight entirely onto Dončić and the team’s future.
However, Wright believes expectations surrounding Lakers’ post-Lebron chapter should be tempered. Speaking with Colin Cowherd on The Volume Basketball, Wright argued that the Lakers have not shown they can successfully build a title team around a superstar.
He cast doubt on the Lakers’ ability to maximize Dončić’s prime, pointing to how the organization handled the LeBron era:
“I mean, I don’t trust the Lakers to be able to build a team around Luka,” Wright argued. “They couldn’t build a team around LeBron. They had a championship-level team because LeBron got them, Anthony Davis. And while, you know, LeBron then… was very influential in them getting Russell Westbrook, which was a huge mistake, obviously.
The Lakers decided that, since the Russell Westbrook thing didn’t work, they’d just punt on multiple seasons of contention. And there are a lot of, there’s people…Seven months ago, when it looked like LeBron was finally…on a significant downslope, and we saw the long ESPN article where Jeannie Buss was reportedly talking about basically how annoyed she was that the LeBron era was continuing.
Well, be careful what you wish for, because the 41-year-old in year 23 was the only guy of your stars available come the playoffs. And while we talk about injury risks, LeBron’s been eligible to play in, I think 212 playoff games, and he’s played 212 of them.”
Wright then argued that the Lakers didn’t aim to contend in Dončić’s first season in Los Angeles, given that they were ready to move on from James.
Wright’s comments come as the Lakers prepare to replace one of the most productive players in franchise history. James appeared in 479 games for Los Angeles and scored 12,402 points during his eight seasons with the team.
Even in what became his final postseason with the Lakers, James remained the team’s driving force. He averaged 23.2 points per game in the 2026 NBA Playoffs and helped fourth-seeded Los Angeles eliminate the Houston Rockets in six games before the Lakers were swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Semifinals.
That context also underpinned Wright’s skepticism. While the Lakers now have a clear path to build around Dončić and Austin Reaves, they are also replacing a player who continued to deliver in the postseason while their new franchise cornerstone watched from the sidelines.
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Dončić was unavailable throughout the playoffs after suffering a Grade 2 left hamstring strain that also sidelined him for the final 15 regular-season games.
James’ departure will disappoint fans who hoped to see his final NBA chapter unfold in purple and gold. For his supporters, however, there is one silver lining. The four-time NBA champion has made it clear he intends to return for a 24th NBA season.
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