Lakers' LeBron James, Anthony Davis 'concerned' about front-office moves

It's that time of the year when title contenders and playoff hopefuls tweak their rosters to make a push toward the postseason. The Lakers, currently the fifth seed, are markedly a few pieces away from putting a scare in West powerhouses like the Thunder, Grizzlies and Nuggets.

Even LeBron James and JJ Redick have admitted as much. After the Lakers' 116-102 loss to the Clippers last Sunday, both acknowledged the team's limitations and marginal room for error. James went as far as to blame the team's construction, which some perceived as a shot at the Lakers front office.

Those comments were likely not made in jest. According to ESPN's Shams Charania, James and Anthony Davis are "growing concerned" about the front office's ability to "make significant roster upgrades" despite possessing the assets required to pull off a big trade.

The report added that James and Davis believe the Lakers are a few pieces away from a legitimate shot at the NBA title. 

"James, a four-time champion, and Davis, a one-time champ, have expressed that they want the franchise to make moves to contend for a championship, with the co-stars believing the Lakers are potentially a piece or two away, sources said."

The Lakers have at least two tradable first-round picks and the budget-friendly contracts of Austin Reaves ($13.4M), Rui Hachimura ($17M), Gabe Vincent ($11M) and Jarred Vanderbilt ($12M) to use in a trade. They also have prized young assets like Dalton Knecht and Max Christie. 

Theoretically, the Lakers could trade for a superstar-level player like Jimmy Butler with an all-in approach. However, the team prefers marginal moves — like the one for Dorian Finney-Smith — instead of a blockbuster deal, per The Athletic's Jovan Buha.   

The Lakers stood pat during the 2024 trade deadline but made a big splash a year before when they acquired Hachimura, D'Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt. It remains to be seen if they heed James and Davis' advice ahead of the Feb. 6 deadline.