Trading for 25-year old Luka Doncic opened up an unexpected and unique treasure chest of opportunities for the Los Angeles Lakers to transform 40-year old superstar LeBron James into their ultimate Master-of-All-Trades.
After a 6-year partnership with Anthony Davis, the Los Angeles Lakers’ sudden midseason switch of superstars has dramatically changed not only the fortunes of the Los Angeles Lakers but also the NBA’s next decade. With Doncic taking over as the Lakers primary shot and playmaker, James is suddenly free to take on a multiverse of different roles moving forward. The 40-year old LeBron is now the Lakers’ ultimate Master-Of-All-Trades.
If the Lakers need an elite point guard when Luka rests, a bruising small ball center when Jax is on the bench, a red-hot C&S 3-point shooter, or a lockdown POA defensive wing, LeBron James can be whatever they need.
Since trading for Luka, LeBron’s been all of the above, playing off the ball as a cutter and shooter, showing he can play without and with Luka, and taking on Davis’ role as the leader and director of the Lakers’ elite defense.
Over the last month, despite all the changes, the Luka and LeBron Lakers have been on a tear, winning 18 of their last 22 games and jumping over a half dozen teams to secure the West’s #2 seed heading down the stretch.
Most impressively, James’ newfound defensive focus has been at the heart of JJ Redick’s transformation of the Lakers’ defense from a middle-of-the-pack to #1 in the NBA despite trading Anthony Davis for Luka Doncic.
Let’s take a closer look into the post-trade Los Angeles Lakers and how LeBron passed the torch to Luka, the multiverse of roles open for James, and how he has a unique opportunity to become a Master-Of-All-Trades.
LeBron Finally Passes The Torch But Not to Anthony Davis
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It took 40-year old LeBron James 6 years to finally pass the torch as the face of the Lakers to another superstar but not Anthony Davis. While James tried, he was unable to pass that torch until the Lakers traded for Doncic.
That should tell you everything you need to know about the LeBron James and Anthony Davis era. One championship won but the torch never left LeBron James hand. We’ll never know if it would have happened this year.
But with Luka, LeBron never hesitated. From the moment he found out the Lakers traded for Luka, there’s no question he’d pass the torch immediately because he knew that would be the only way to insure Luka would succeed.
No disrespect to Anthony Davis, but it is much easier for LeBron James to pass the torch to a player like Luka Doncic who’s essentially a physical clone of him who plays his same position with his same sets of skills.
LeBron was also only 34-years old when the Lakers traded for AD whereas he was 40-years old when they traded for Luka. Timing and circumstances make it far easier for LeBron to pass the torch to Luka than to Anthony.
Luka was the basketball gods’ gift to the Lakers but only if they allowed him to be himself, which means taking the ball out of James’ hands and putting it in Doncic’ hands, something LeBron would likely only do for Luka.
What makes the Luka trade such a perfect trade for the Lakers is that it not only gives the Lakers a 15-year younger and maybe better version of LeBron but it also frees James to become their Master-Of-All-Trades.
That’s the unexpected silver lining hidden behind the Luka Doncic trade. Luka was the one player whom LeBron would eagerly and willing pass the torch and reinvent himself as the Lakers’ Master-Of-All-Trades.
Passing The Torch Opens LeBron To Multiverse of Roles
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There is no question in my mind that there are worlds in the multiverse where LeBron James not only gets the opportunities to play but actually excels as the GOAT for all five of the positions in the game of basketball.
With the trade for Luka Doncic, die-hard Lakers fans are going to get a special treat for the next who-knows-how-many seasons, a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see what all those different LeBron James look like. Before the Lakers hang the banner for #18 this summer, we’re going to see LeBron James playing a multiverse of different roles in different games. He’ll be whatever Lakers need: scorer, defender, playmaker, rebounder.
The Lakers have been trying in vain for last six years to get LeBron to play off the ball in order to reduce the regular season wear-and-tear and extend his career. Trading for Luka could easily mean more years of LeBron.
Being paired with Luka Doncic has also re-invigorated LeBron and given him new motivation not only for this season but also for the rest of his career. LeBron can now pick and chose how to help the Lakers win.
We’ve seen this new burst of youth and energy in how LeBron has been playing defense. No longer having to play on the ball on offense, James is now using that energy and physicality as the Lakers big new 3&D wing.
When Luka’s shot was off against the Clipper in their recent first of two games, LeBron took over in the fourth quarter and closed the game like he has done so many times in his illustrious 22-year long superstar career.
With Luka taking over the Lakers’ offense, LeBron James is now free to become the ultimate Master-Of-All-Trades, the superstar wild card JJ Redick will be able to play whenever needed in the 2025 NBA playoffs.
Free & Unleashed LeBron James Is Lakers’ Playoff Wild Card
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The ultimate irony of the Lakers trading for Luka Doncic is that it will not only likely lengthen LeBron James purple and gold career but also could free and unleash LeBron James to be the Lakers’ playoff gold wild card.
Aside from the fact that both James and Doncic are among that rare group of players with unassailable records of elevating their play in the playoffs, imagine the problem Luka and LeBron are going to create in the playoffs.
Teams are not only going to deal with the league’s best two playmakers sharing the court together to start and end every game but also face the challenge of either Luka or LeBron on court every minute of every game.
Having turned the ball and offense over to Luka, LeBron is now free to do whatever JJ Redick and his staff need him to do. In the playoffs, having a free and unleashed superstar to fill a multiverse of needed roles is ideal.
22-years of championship level experience playing all five positions at all three levels of the court plus his unmatched basketball IQ make LeBron James uniquely qualified to be the Lakers’ ultimate Master-Of-All-Trades.
Whether the Lakers need a superstar point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward, or center, whether they need more offense or defense, Luka has freed LeBron to be their playoff Swiss Army knife.
LeBron James’ superstar ability to morph into whatever the Lakers need to win in a given playoff series could be the difference maker that catapults Los Angeles into a tie with Boston as they win their 18th championship.
The NBA Playoffs are about matchups and a free, unleashed LeBron James is the Lakers solid gold playoffs wild card. Look for the Lakers to win their 18th NBA championship and LeBron James to win his fifth Finals MVP.
lol, start trademarking “Master of All Trades” now. Marvel has Multiverse locked down. I think you used the phrase to open and close every stanza lol.
A seriously though, you bring up some good points. LeBron is now Weapon X, a real Wolverine, if you will. The Juggernaut that is the Lakers is a nigh unstoppable Colossus. Gone are the Bat Man and Robin comparisons. There is no plucky side kick here, just Wolverine and Sabertooth. Ok, that’s enough comic book references lol