What Luka Doncic trade means for LeBron James

The NBA landscape has shifted, both in the immediate and for the future. Luka Doncic, a top five player on the planet, is now a Los Angeles Laker. Anthony Davis, a star in his own right, is now a Dallas Maverick. A deal was struck late Saturday night, catching the entire league off-guard. 

According to reports, LeBron James wasn't aware this trade was happening. Heck, at least 27 other teams weren't aware that Doncic was being "shopped." What's clear is that the Lakers have turned their attention away from immediate contention and toward a sustained period of success, which could span up to a decade. 

While that shift is great news for the Lakers as a franchise, it raises some important questions about James' future with the team. James, 40, has a player option for next season. He could become an unrestricted free agent this summer. Or, he could choose to retire, although that seems unlikely. 

"The question now, with the dynamics so drastically changed and Doncic arriving as the indisputable alpha-male in Laker Land, is this: Might this be James’ last season with the Lakers?," The Athletic's Sam Amick wrote on Sunday. 

Both James and Doncic are ball-dominant stars. Doncic requires a significant amount of touches to be at his best, often to the detriment of his teammates. James has evolved his game to be a perimeter scoring weapon, but as this season has shown, he's still at his best when creating for those around him. James is fourth in the NBA in total assists this season with 399. How head coach JJ Redick gets the best out of these two heliocentric stars is anybody's guess.

Then, there's the question of how important James is to the Lakers moving forward. After all, he wasn't consulted on a franchise-altering trade. A newer, younger superstar is coming to town. Furthermore, James' ability to dictate his desires has significantly waned as his retirement draws closer. 

This summer might be the perfect time for James to leave the Lakers. He's won a championship with the franchise. He's achieved his goal of sharing the court with his son, Bronny. Now, moving teams for one final push toward another championship might be what's best for everyone involved. 

James isn't going to be the featured star in Los Angeles' anymore. The front office will be making moves to maximize Doncic's tenure with the team, not James'. There will be no shortage of takers if James hits the free-agent market. 

Rob Pelinka and Jeanie Buss have sent a message. They're moving on from the current contention timeline. So, now James needs to do the same. What that will look like remains a mystery. However, in 12 months time, we could be looking back at this Doncic trade as the day the dominoes began to fall.