The key figures leading the Lakers are reportedly putting their heads together to ensure last season’s disaster doesn’t repeat itself.
LeBron James and his agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, reportedly met with Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka and head coach Darvin Ham on Thursday, with the conversation between both parties labeled as “productive,” according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.
James’s eligibility to sign a two-year, $97.1 million contract extension was reportedly discussed. However, the Lakers’ star is seemingly more focused on ensuring the franchise is in the best possible position to be successful on the court next season.
James and Ham reportedly agree that the route to accomplishing that includes the Lakers’ offense running through Anthony Davis. The Lakers have been encouraged with Davis’s continuing progression to be in top-level shape with the idea of him taking on a much bigger load next season. Ham and James also agreed on holding all players “accountable,” fostering “selflessness” and an increase in defensive tenacity among all players on the team’s roster, per Haynes’s report.
James is entering his 20th NBA season and his fifth with Los Angeles. Last season, the 18-time All-Star averaged 30.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.3 steals per game.
The Lakers finished 33–49 and missed the playoffs last season, which marked the second time in James’s four years with Los Angeles that the Lakers did not qualify for the playoffs after James had previously missed postseason play twice in his previous 15 seasons.
