Lakers Considering Pairing Luka Doncic With 9-Time All-Star if LeBron James Walks

Los Angeles Lakers are quietly considering reuniting Luka Doncic with his former teammate if LeBron James exits this summer.

Mar 25, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) celebrates a three point shot during the second quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers got swept out of the second round by the Oklahoma City Thunder, and now LeBron James will be an unrestricted free agent for the first time since 2018. He has not decided what he wants to do next, and Los Angeles is already quietly thinking about life without him.

Per NBA insider Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson, there is one name that keeps coming up internally. Robinson wrote:

"Coincidentally, if James decides to exit, the Lakers, I'm told have quietly weighed the pros and cons of an incredibly volatile fallback option: a Southern California re-pairing of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving."

It is not a random idea. Doncic and Irving spent parts of two seasons together in Dallas, and that partnership did not just work; it took the Mavericks to the NBA Finals in 2024. The Lakers watched all of that from the outside, and now they have Doncic. The thought of reuniting him with the one guy who made that run possible is not hard to understand.

Why the Lakers Are Seriously Thinking About Kyrie Irving

Feb 25, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) reacts with Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) during the first quarter at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Robinson laid out exactly what would make this pairing so appealing:

"When analyzing a potential contingency plan for the Los Angeles Lakers in the event of LeBron James' departure, the front office faces a complex matrix of advantages and heavy hesitations. On the positive side of the ledger, executing a blockbuster move to pair Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving in Southern California offers an undeniable competitive floor."

Irving has not played since tearing his ACL in March 2025. He sat out all of 2025-26 and is targeting a return next season at 34 years old. And Doncic himself never stepped on the floor this postseason after suffering a Grade 2 hamstring strain in early April, leaving James to carry the team alone against Oklahoma City, with Austin Reaves also going down with an injury that kept him sidelined for weeks.

The Lakers would love to bring James back. But if he decides to take his talents elsewhere, with the Cleveland Cavaliers looking like a strong possibility, they are not planning just to stand still, and a Luka-Kyrie pairing, as risky as it is, might be exactly the kind of bet this storied franchise makes and pays off down the road.

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