LeBron James Won't Return to the Lakers: What's Next?

Usually, I won't write about NBA players who are leaving their current teams as free agents - it's more beneficial to look at them after they have signed somewhere. I'm breaking that to discuss LeBron James, who is still one of the most polarizing figures in the leagues.

Let's discuss the latest news surrounding King James.

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James Leaving LA

ESPN's Shams Charania reported about an hour ago that LeBron was going to continue his career for at least one more season, but that James informed the Lakers that he wouldn't be playing for them any longer.

The 41-year-old still can deliver at a high level, and is coming off a season in which he averaged 33.2 minutes a night across 60 games. James also averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, 6.1 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 0.6 blocks per contest.

LeBron shot 51.5% overall, was 31.7% from 3-point land and had a 73.7% mark at the free-throw line.

He can still be a good asset for many contending teams, but is a better second or even third option at this point of his career. His leadership and experience is super beneficial for any team hoping to chase down a ring.

LeBron's Landing Spot

LeBron has been linked to several teams this offseason, and now we will see which teams are interested in the veteran now that we know he isn't going back to LA.

Like I just mentioned, he's going to be on a contender, so that knocks out a good portion of the NBA. He has been linked to the Golden State Warriors, especially since Draymond Green declined his player option - that opens room for James to join Golden State.

I don't want to get too much into that potential landing spot until it actually happens, but it would still be fun to see LeBron and Stephen Curry team up for a possible final ride for James. 

Going back to Cleveland to possibly cap his career makes a lot of sense too, and Cleveland is indeed a contender.

Maybe he could also return to Miami, where he could join Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo in search of another title.

James could also look elsewhere, like San Antonio or Atlanta, where there's young talent around, but the rosters are in search of a veteran leader.

Wherever James ends up landing, we will cover that in full when it actually happens, so check back for that!

Lakers' Outlook without James

After Austin Reaves re-signed with the team earlier this offseason, many expected the Lakers to run it back with most of the same players they had a season ago.

Now, Reaves will get a chance to really shine now that LeBron is not expected back. Of course, the team will be powered by Luka Doncic, the do-it-all point guard.

Doncic and Reaves is a formidable 1-2 punch, but down James now, the outlook in LA is not as bright. There's a lot of offseason left though, and the Lakers are certainly going to add to replace James and throw their names in the ring to come out of the Western Conference next season.

Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt and Deandre Ayton are the other three projected starters right now. Luke Kennard, Jake LaRavia and Jaxson Hayes are some notable backups, while rookie Cameron Carr and Maxi Kleber are additional options.

The starting five is OK, but mostly because Doncic and Reaves are really good players. The other three starters are so-so assets, and nobody on the bench really stands out either.

The Lakers have some work to do in order to get their roster to be good enough to go toe-to-toe with some of the West's top teams. Expect the team to make some more offseason moves, whether that be free agent signings or trades.

We will cover the team's notable signings (the same goes for the entire league) as the offseason moves along, so be sure to be checking into FantasySP often for the latest!

NBA free agency kicks off later today, so starting tomorrow, expect a bunch of transaction-related stories from around the league!