Getting into LeBron James’ 19^e season, more people must be wondering how much he still has in the tank. Although James is approaching his 37^e birthday, James is still the driving force behind the Lakers.

Anthony Davis is still only his 20s and was considered the guy James passed the torch to with the purple and gold. In 2019, the Lakers cashed most of their assets when they traded to Davis. After winning a title two seasons ago, Davis hasn’t lived up to what many fans had expected. Sustainability issues and an early exit from the playoffs have started to worry fans if Davis is the guy who will lead the Lakers after James retires.

Longtime NBA insider Marc Stein recently commented in his Spotify Greenroom on the Lakers’ long-term future.

“They had the six worst seasons in franchise history before they got LeBron and who knows? It could be just as bumpy when the LeBron-AD era is over. I think that’s why you kind of started hearing and it’s all very speculative… I want to point out that I haven’t heard anything to that effect. But you are starting to hear it. People are asking the question, “Are they going to trade AD before his contract expires so they don’t end up in this position?”

Stein has a lot of fairness among league circles and while he said it was pure speculation, it makes sense that many are starting to wonder if AD will be involved in trade talks sooner rather than later. At this point, the team is lacking in young talent in terms of players or draft picks.

Davis has decided to bulk up this past offseason, hoping to stay healthier this season. He even promised to play despite minor injuries in hopes of becoming a greater presence with the team on the pitch. However, things did not go as planned, as he has currently been out for over a month due to his injury and his shots have approached the lowest of his career statistically.

Hopefully Davis bounces back from his injury and still remains healthy and dominant, so the team can continue to build around him for years to come.