LA Times columnist implores LeBron James and Anthony Davis to leave the Lakers: 'It’s over, there is no hope'

After a promising start to the season, the Los Angeles Lakers have lost seven of their last 10, a couple of them in embarrassing fashion. The same old issues from a season ago reared their ugly head: They struggle to stop people, they turn the ball over too much, the endgame execution was sloppy, and the bench has little to no production. While the season is still a long way to go, Los Angeles Times columnist Bill Plaschke suggests pulling the plug altogether. For Plaschke, it will be in the parties' best interest to part ways.

"The Lakers are no better than a bottom seed in the Western Conference, surely headed for a third consecutive appearance in the play-in tournament, seemingly destined for a second consecutive first-round knockout," wrote the veteran journalist. "It's over. Already. There is no hope. Again. With no first-round draft pick and suffocating salaries, they might not be any better next year. Really."

The best-case scenario? LeBron James should do the franchise and himself a favor and ask out, while Anthony Davis follows right behind. For Plaschke, it would be a shame for the four-time MVP to spend his final years in mediocrity, and AD would be better off showcasing his talents elsewhere.

The good

The Red Smith awardee habitually bursts bubbles, but he may be on to something here. James is simply in no condition to do the heavy lifting for a team night in and night out. No one nearing 40 years old must be relied upon to carry a franchise, much less one like the Lakers. At his age, he's better off somewhere where he could play around 28 to 30 minutes and just explode in spurts to put teams away.

One idea that's been floating around lately is that the Warriors may explore a LeBron James trade. The two teams have followed a similar trend this seasonーboth: Both started strong but faltered over the last 10 games. Interestingly, the four-time MVP could theoretically ease Golden State's stability issues, while the Lakers could use youthful energy.

Similarly, The Brow is the best tradeable asset the Purple and Gold have. AD spent most of the season hovering in the top five of the MVP ladder, which means the Lakers could get a haul of good players and draft picks to the highest bidder. That's significant since the Lakers do not own their 2025 and 2027 first-round choices. Dealing Davis away could recoup multiple first-round picks in the future, which they could use to facilitate other transactions.

The bad

As much as it makes sense on paper to pull the trigger, galaxies must align to make it happen. LeBron's no-trade clause allows him to block any deal, which complicates the Lakers' ability to secure the best value for him on the open market.

Similarly, trading AD doesn't guarantee the Lakers a solid return. The 2012 No. 1 pick is set to make over $60 million per year for the next three years, and his long list of injury concerns doesn't exactly make him an easy sell. Teams aren't exactly lining up to take on a big man with health issues.

The biggest hurdle, however, might be that trading established stars simply isn't a part of the Lakers' MO. The franchise is known to mortgage its future to acquire superstars, but part of its allure is how it treats the big names, taking care of them until they decide to hang it up. Even Plaschke recognizes this.

"If James relents on his no-trade clause, the Lakers can send him to a contender for one last hurrah. If Davis gives his approval — the Lakers don't need it and could trade him today since he signed his contract in 2023, but they would want it because that's how they treat superstars — the Lakers could send him somewhere that can give him a chance at another ring before his body breaks down for the last time," Bill commented.

Interestingly, this isn't the first time Plaschke suggested trading LeBron away; he has been singing the same tune since February 2024. That piece he wrote 10 months ago cut deeper than the one he did recently.

"As for the fans, James awes, but he doesn't quite connect. That 2020 title was won entirely in Florida, meaning Los Angeles has never personally seen James lead this team to a title, and that matters. He's no Magic. He's no Kobe. He's not even Kareem. He could leave and the town would quickly get over it," he said (H/T: Sports Illustrated).