Sooner or later, the Los Angeles Lakers will need to seek out a long-term partner for Luka Doncic. LeBron James won’t be around forever, and with his contract expiring at the end of the season, he may or may not be with the team in 2026-27.
Replacing James is virtually impossible. He’s one of the best players to ever lace them up. However, that doesn’t mean the Lakers can’t seek out a star-level talent to partner with Doncic. In a recent article for Bleacher Report, Greg Swartz pinpointed Lauri Markkanen as a potentially ideal trade target for Los Angeles.
“Lauri Markkanen may tie up the future cap sheets, but he’s an ideal starting forward to pair next to Dončić, and at age 28, is in the prime of his career,” Swartz wrote. “The 7-footer can knock down threes, put the ball on the floor and isn’t afraid to dunk over opponents in traffic. With or without James in the lineup, Markkanen would be a huge add for a Lakers team that needs to keep pace with squads like the Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets in the West.”
Markkanen is battle-tested in the Western Conference. He’s a star talent for the Utah Jazz, but would likely be available at the right price. Los Angeles wouldn’t be the first big-name team to check Danny Ainge’s willingness to enter trade negotiations, either. The Golden State Warriors were linked with Markkanen during the summer of 2024.
LeBron James Expected To Return In November
The Lakers have been without LeBron James to begin the new season. He missed all of the team’s preseason preparations, too, as he’s been dealing with sciatica. According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, the Lakers will likely get their veteran star back at some point in mid-November. That is, of course, assuming his recovery doesn’t suffer any setbacks.
“I’m told that we’re still in the range of about three more weeks before he would be targeting a return sometime in mid-November,” McMenamin said. “Now, I have been told by multiple sources over the last several days that his rehab and all of the progress to get back to that return date is moving in the right direction. So there are good vibes around it.”
With no preseason behind him, LeBron will likely need some time to ramp up before being at his best. However, his absence has given the Lakers a taste of what their future with Doncic leading the way will look like.
Markkanen Could Fit Lakers Plans
Markkanen would likely be an ideal pick-and-roll partner for Doncic. Both players would have significant scoring gravity, and their skill sets should coexist perfectly. Markkanen would also offer some additional rim-protection.
Furthermore, pairing Markkanen with a true rim-protector would allow the Lakers to go big without compromising the level of skill and scoring talent on the court.
If the Lakers are seeking a future-proof star who fits next to Doncic, Markkanen makes total sense. The hard part will be prying him away from Utah. Ainge is a tough negotiator. He will certainly want to maximize Utah’s return, especially as the move would strengthen a conference rival.
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