LeBron James leaving Lakers moved the needle for Luka Doncic-Mavs reunion in wrong direction

For eight seasons, LeBron James was the face of the Los Angeles Lakers. That ended Tuesday, and it also made a Luka Doncic homecoming to the Dallas Mavericks a lot harder to picture.

Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul informed ESPN's Shams Charania that James told the Lakers the franchise can move on without him because he will continue his career elsewhere. This marks the first time since James signed with the Lakers in July 2018 that he won't be wearing purple and gold.

They acquired Doncic from Dallas last year in a blockbuster trade that sent Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick to the Mavericks. This highly unpopular move led to the firing of Mavericks GM Nico Harrison after intense fan backlash and poor team performance. Since then, Dallas fans have desperately looked for any way to bring their superstar back.

However, James' exit complicates a return because the Slovenian star is now the clear number-one option for Los Angeles. Alongside Austin Reaves, he forms one of the league's top guard duos. 

The Lakers immediately reinforced this pairing. Right after free agency opened, the front office completed a sign-and-trade with the Utah Jazz for center Walker Kessler, fulfilling Doncic's request for a defensive anchor. They also extended Reaves on a four-year, $185 million deal, marking the largest contract ever for an undrafted player.

Then there's the money which is more interesting. The 27-year-old will be eligible for a five-year, $417 million supermax extension in 2028, and the Lakers are the only team allowed to offer him that number.

The Mavericks now have Dusty May as head coach, working alongside new team president Masai Ujiri to rebuild the franchise. There is no doubt that, during their attempt to fix things, the Mavs community deeply wants Luka back on the roster. However, the realistic window for any serious reunion talk is the summer of 2028.

More NBA news:

• LeBron James' former teammate identifies where he can win two more rings, and it's not Warriors, Cavs, Heat
• Nico Harrison's Quentin Grimes trade looks worse than ever after the guard lands a $60 million Lakers deal
• Spurs had a bigger plan all along for Julian Champagnie and it’s interesting
• LeBron James’ Lakers exit raises new questions about Bronny’s future
• Hall of Famer has one message for Tim Hardaway Jr. after Heat signing