Lakers Need to Figure out Their LeBron James Problem Sooner Than You Think

Los Angeles Lakers fans were given a break from watching their team struggle through a challenging season during All-Star Weekend. There were three items on the potential future of James.

James said in an interview with The Athletic that he could return to Cleveland for the third time. I don't know. I have no idea what my future holds. I don't know when I'm free.

James told gathered media that his future will coincide with his son's NBA career. Wherever Bronny James lands, I will be.

Bleacher Report @BleacherReport

LeBron's going wherever Bronny goes 🤝 (via @ByJasonLloyd) https://t.co/lFEGnLxJxN

For good measure, James went out of his way to praise Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti as the most Valuable Player over there, noting how well the team has drafted, dating back to when the team was still in Seattle as the SuperSonics.

theScore @theScore

LeBron says Sam Presti is the real MVP in OKC. 👀 https://t.co/GRZzLWhdl8

What is going on? Is there anything to see here? Is James just sharing his thoughts? Lakers fans have something to worry about.

They do. The marriage between the Lakers and James is in danger. The relationship between Klutch Sports and the franchise is at its lowest point.

In July, August and ahead of the February 10 trade deadline, decisions were made. The Lakers need to come to terms with James on August 4, specifically or part ways.

James is eligible for a two-year extension that could make him the NBA's highest paid player.

James will hit free agency in 2023 if he doesn't extend his contract. The Lakers can pay James more than $30 million in cap space, but the Cavaliers might be able to get to $36.4 million in space. There is a chance of a starting lineup of All-Stars, includingJarrett Allen and James, as well as young talents Evan Mobley and Isaac Okoro, if a move or two is made.

James will be eligible for the draft in 25 years. James may prefer a one-year extension with the Lakers or a one-season contract with the Cleveland Indians for his son to time free agency with his first year of college.

The NBA or the National Basketball Players Association can opt out of the current collective bargaining agreement by December 15, ending the deal after the 2022-23 season. Even if the one-and-done rule is thrown out, it may not be in time for Bronny James to join the class of 2023.

It's too early to say with any certainty if Bronny James will be a second-round pick or not. A team could lure the father with the son.

Los Angeles will only keep its first-round pick in 2024 if the New Orleans Pelicans delay the Lakers obligation to pay Anthony Davis in 2025, as part of the blockbuster deal that brought him. The Lakers do not have their own second-round pick, but they do have one from the Wizards in the Russell Westbrook trade.

Some of the issues between the Lakers and James' father could be solved by drafting him. The Lakers need to make a decision on James before the year is out.

In the context of the Lakers drama this season, James praise of Presti could be seen as a passive- aggressive jab at Pelinka.

Multiple NBA sources say Klutch is not happy with Pelinka. The sentiment has been simmering for a long time, but it reached a boiling point when Pelinka refused to trade Westbrook and a future first-round pick for John Wall.

Even though Wall averaged 20.6 points and 6.9 assists per game last year, the Lakers didn't make sense with the move as a significant upgrade over Westbrook. The Rockets are focusing on developing younger players, with Wall not playing this season. The Lakers would get their client out of a bad situation in Houston and make up for the mistake made by the other team.

According to a source, James and Westbrook met in the summer of 2016 and agreed that a team-up would work in Los Angeles. Pelinka was close to acquiring Buddy Hield from the Kings, but decided to go with Russell Westbrook at the last moment.

A strong executive will make the right choice for the franchise, even if that means rejecting the pressure from the team's biggest star. The front office that agreed with James that it was the move to make is to be blamed. The team has yet to field a healthy roster this season, and if a team puts 77.7% of its payroll into three players, depth to overcome injury is going to be in short supply.

Would Wall have made a difference? It would have for Klutch. From a certain point of view, the Lakers are wasting one of the few precious years left in the career of James. Over the past few seasons, he has had groin and ankle injuries that have cost him time in Los Angeles.

He is still a powerhouse on the court. The Lakers need to make a decision on how long they should stay in the industry. Should the Lakers pay James?

Los Angeles has kept its books clean. The Lakers will only have Davis under contract if Talen Horton-Tucker opts out of his contract. If James returns, that will be below the max space for any top free agent.

The Lakers aren't going to be able to play both sides for a long time. The team's books won't look very different this summer if he opts into his final year. The Lakers should be able to offer a taxpayer mid-level exception of $6.3 million, but keeping a star acquisition like Monk may prove problematic.

Most teams won't have cap space in July. That may not matter. Any team with a non-taxpayer mid-level exception would be able to pursue Monk if the handful that might chose not to pursue him chose not to.

Bringing back the same team is not ideal given the performance this season. Will Monk and a different assortment of minimum players yield a different result? The Lakers don't have a draft pick in June, with the first- and second-rounds going to the Spurs and the Pelicans.

He could be a viable trade asset because of his expiring contract. A team might value what he brings on the court. The Lakers may need to find a franchise that will dump long-term salary.

Is the Indiana Pacers going to turn over more of their veteran roster? The restructuring of the Pacers may not fit the large, multiyear deals that players like Malcolm Brogdon and Hield have. A first-round pick, along with at least one by the end of the first round, might be attractive. Indiana could either buy him out or keep him for the season. If James commits to staying, the Lakers might need to do that move.

The New York Knicks had a difficult year. The Knicks could use the help of the Lakers to get out of contracts like Evan Fournier. James Harden was traded to the Brooklyn Nets by the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Tobias Harris. Will the Sixers try to get rid of that money again this summer?

If the Lakers decide to get back in bed with Klutch, that Wall swap will be available in the summer. The crux of the issue is that. Do the Lakers invest in James in order to get a better return on their investment, or do they need to trade Westbrook in order to get a better return on their investment?

The Lakers will protect their future picks and cap space if not. If James doesn't sign an extension, the team may need to consider trading him for value instead of letting him walk without any compensation.

Davis can leave his contract early in the next decade. The Lakers might start from scratch and trade both stars. If James and Davis are available, what could they bring to the Lakers? It is too much meat for one article to explore.

The Lakers have a first-round pick if the answer is blowing it up.

Regardless of the answer, the team needs to know what to do in June and July. The bulk of the moves will be completed by the time James has to sign a new contract.

Email Eric Pincus at eric.pincus@gmail.com and follow him on social media.