Windhorst: 'Lakers Are Now Luka Dončić's Team' After Trade, Not LeBron James' Team

LeBron James has been the focal point of every team he has ever been on throughout his NBA career and for good reason considering he is one of the best players in league history.

That might not be the reality anymore after Saturday's shocking trade between his Los Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks.

"Every year of LeBron's career, 21-plus seasons, everything the teams have done when he's on it has been about him," ESPN's Brian Windhorst said during a Monday appearance on Get Up. "That is no longer the case. Everything the Lakers will do going forward will be about No. 77. They are now Luka Dončić's team."

The Lakers sent Anthony Davis to the Mavericks as part of the trade package that landed them the 25-year-old Dončić, who is already arguably one of the top-five players in the league and may get even better in the coming few seasons.

It was a move that indicated the front office is preparing for post-LeBron life with a new face of the franchise who will anchor the team for the foreseeable future.

While it is a marvel that James is still as dominant as he is at 40 years old, retirement will eventually come. He is also under contract through just this season with a player option for the 2025-26 campaign, so his time on the Lakers may be limited even if he doesn't hang up the sneakers for a handful of years.

Given that reality, the opportunity to land someone like Dončić was a golden one for a Lakers franchise that has always been dominated by stars. He can help them compete for a championship this season and remain among the league's best in the future depending on the ensuing moves the team makes.

And it seems like those moves will be done to better accentuate Dončić's long-term fit and skill set compared to James' moving forward.