Austin Reeves’ superstar turnaround proves it’s time to move on from LeBron James

The Los Angeles Lakers they didn’t expect their future to arrive this quickly, but here it is, and LeBron James it is no longer the center of it. The The epochs of Luka Dončić officially started in Los Angeles, and Austin Reaves proves that the core of this team is already strong enough to compete without the LeBron dependency the franchise has lived on for five years.

Now admittedly, James is a first round Hall of Famer, a four-time champion and the face of basketball for two decades. But in the NBA, it’s all about timing, and the Lakers finally have a new timeline worth committing to, which begs a tough question: Why continue to build around a 40-year-old star with one foot out the door when Doncic and Austin Reaves are already showing they can carry this franchise forward?

Luka Doncic is now a franchise

Starting with the obvious: this is Luka Doncic’s team. The ball is in his hands. The Lakers offense runs through him. He elevated everyone around him, especially Reaves, the way James once did when he was remaking the future of the league instead of fighting against it.

Doncic controls the pace, forces double teams every way and solves the Lakers’ problems in tight quarters. The front office didn’t trade for a generational superstar just to hand the keys back to James when he returns from injury. Doncic is not only the best player in the team; he represents the next decade.

And once you commit to it, you need to make a list to maximize it his the window, not James’s twilight.

Austin Reeves is thriving

Reaves spent his first few seasons handing off to James, a “make sure LeBron touches the ball first” system that each teammate adjusts to. But with those reps now going to Reaves, he’s become a late-game weapon, a legitimate secondary creator and a guy whose confidence you can’t get off the floor.

He attacks early in the shot clock, scores in isolation and leads pick-and-roll counters with Doncic that punish switches. Most importantly, Reaves is no longer waiting for permission to take over.

It is a product of a change in hierarchy. James’ dominance on the ball kept players like Reaves in the matchup. Dončić’s approach empowers him.

After refusing a summer extension, Reaves is projected to command north of $30 million per year on his next contract if he lasts anything close to this pace. Front office people don’t talk like that unless the tape and numbers back it up.

Still, Reaves isn’t a true No. 1. He’s an elite No. 2. He’s the Jamal Murray to Doncic’s Nikola Jokic. It’s his perfect role. And that means that any roster built around Doncic plus Reaves will always go through Doncic.

LeBron James is slowing down the timeline, not extending it

Each sign points to James is already looking beyond Los Angeles. From his Player Options play to a farewell whisperthe constant public pressure on the front office, and his body showing the miles and timelines that are catching up.

The Lakers can’t keep changing the roster every trade deadline to try to force out another expiration of James’ prime, because that prime is gone. The front office must be built for May 2026and not in May 2020.

And when James comes back? His style naturally demands the ball, slows down the attack and passes possession to Doncic and Reaves, two players who need those touches to continue to grow into dominant playoff killers.

It’s not just that the Lakers don’t need James more. It’s that keeping him could become a thing that keeps them.

Trading LeBron James is not a betrayal

Rob Pelinka faces the toughest decision a general manager can make: Do you move a year early or a year later?

If the Lakers wait until James is gone for nothing, they lose the leverage they currently have, his star power, his market value and the opportunity to add depth to support a new core. Right now, contenders would still be selling the future to get James for one last Finals push.

Los Angeles could turn him into an entry-level defensive wing, multiple first-round picks, or young rotation pieces that fit Doncic’s timeline; maybe even all three. That’s how smart franchises work.

Have James chase ring number 5 somewhere he’s not stuck between timelines. Let him choose the team that matches his last chapter. The Lakers should focus on drafting their next.

The Lakers’ time is now

The Los Angeles Lakers have what every franchise dreams of: a new superstar to build around before the old one is shutting down. Luka Dončić is the future of the league and the franchise; there is no doubt about that. The former Dallas Maverick delivers championship-caliber production every time he steps on the court.

Reaves is the co-pilot Doncic needs. A supporting cast is better when they know exactly who they’re playing through. James? He deserves to compete for titles without having to wear foundation anymore. But the Lakers also deserve a clean future, one built around a core that will only get better, not older.

So, yes, it’s time. It’s time to fully dedicate ourselves to Dončić. It’s time for Reeves to step up as No. 2. It’s time to stop delaying the evolution of the franchise. And it’s time to move on from LeBron James before the opportunity is gone.