The Los Angeles Lakers won the NBA Championship three seasons ago, but the front office has been abysmal in retooling their roster alongside generational talent LeBron James. It has been downhill from there as the Lakers are closer to receiving the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft than winning the chip. With James still one of the top players in the NBA at age 38, it might be time for Los Angeles to ponder on moving on from him in exchange for future assets.

The questionable moves of the front office have hindered their future because they only have a couple of first-round picks in the next seven years, meaning they will need to invest solely in trades and free-agent signing to bolster their roster. With a massive management change, that may not spiral into a larger problem. Thus, these are a couple of changes they can execute if LeBron James wants out by the offseason.

 

Miami Heat

It’s not that crazy for LeBron James to return to the Miami Heat because of his familiarity with that city and organization. His final year in Miami did not end on a terrific note, but they could rehash their previous differences and vie for another championship. The Heat reached the Conference Finals last season and the Finals three years ago, so it shows that they are a win-now team with their current lineup.

Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Kyle Lowry are not getting any younger, and the only individual with a bright future from their young nucleus is Tyler Herro. With the East improving immensely every season, Miami can do the same by striving to reach the mountaintop once again. The Heat still owns all their first-round picks except in 2025, so any of their pieces excluding Butler can be available along with a couple of first-round selections.