LeBron James’ Lakers profession can now be seen as a timeline, with each cease telling a completely different half of the story: the arrival, the damage, the Anthony Davis commerce, the bubble championship, the Kobe Bryant grief, the scoring file, the NBA Cup, the Bronny James second and, lastly, the Luka Dončić pivot that now appears like it was the starting of the finish.
LeBron James leaves a lasting legacy with the Lakers, bringing an NBA title in 2020 and numerous reminiscences and NBA information. NBAE via Getty Images
2018: The arrival in Los Angeles
James came to Los Angeles in 2018 after opting out of his contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He signed a four-year, $153.5 million deal with the Lakers, becoming a member of a franchise that had missed the playoffs for 5 straight seasons and was still making an attempt to rebuild around younger expertise.
2018-19: The damage and missed playoffs
The Lakers began slowly, and James’ first season in Los Angeles was derailed by a Christmas Day groin damage. He missed 17 straight video games, and the Lakers fell out of the playoff race. It marked the first time James had missed the postseason since 2005.
One of his finest associates, James and AD grew to become one of the NBA’s most dominant duos during their time collectively. Getty Images
2019: The Anthony Davis commerce modifications everything
The Lakers’ timeline modified when Los Angeles traded for Anthony Davis, giving James the celebrity companion he wanted. The Lakers instantly grew to become contenders and opened the 2019-20 season 17-2.
January 2020: Kobe Bryant, grief and duty
On Jan. 25, 2020, James handed Kobe Bryant for third place on the NBA’s all-time scoring listing. Bryant congratulated him publicly that night time. The next day, Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others were killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas.
Days later, James stood at middle court docket before the Lakers’ first home sport after Bryant’s dying and delivered an emotional speech in a No. 24 jersey.
Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James, carrying a No. 24 jersey, speaks about Kobe Bryant prior to an NBA sport AP
2020: The bubble championship
After the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the season, the NBA resumed inside the Orlando bubble. James and Davis led the Lakers through the Western Conference and into the NBA Finals against the Miami Heat.
James completed the clinching Game 6 with a triple-double, delivering the franchise’s seventeenth championship. He was named Finals MVP for the fourth time, turning into the first player in NBA historical past to win that award with three completely different franchises.
James celebrates with his MVP trophy and Finals trophy after profitable the 2020 NBA Championship. Getty Images
2020-22: Records, accidents and uneven team-building
The next two seasons were outlined by particular person historical past and team frustration.
In 2020-21, James grew to become the first player in NBA historical past to rating in double figures in 1,000 consecutive video games and reached 35,000 profession factors. But an ankle damage value him 20 video games, and the Lakers lost to the Phoenix Suns in the first spherical.
The following season, James grew to become the only player in NBA historical past with at least 10,000 factors, 10,000 rebounds and 10,000 assists.
He also scored 56 factors against the Golden State Warriors, one of the nice late-career scoring nights of his Lakers run.
The Lakers, however, missed the postseason.
After profitable the NBA title in 2020, James and the Lakers struggled to recreate success over the following few seasons. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
2023: The scoring file and one more playoff push
On Feb. 7, 2023, James handed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA’s all-time main scorer. The fadeaway jumper against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Crypto.com Arena lifted him previous a file once thought untouchable.
That season also produced one of his finest Lakers playoff runs. James had 22 factors, 20 rebounds and seven assists in an additional time win over the Memphis Grizzlies, turning into the oldest player in league historical past with a 20-20 playoff sport. He later helped shut out the Warriors in the second spherical, sending the Lakers to the Western Conference finals.
James celebrates with Kareem Abdul Jabbar after breaking the Hall of Fame and former Los Angeles Lakers NBA scoring file. MediaNews Group via Getty Images
2023-24: The NBA Cup and 40,000 factors
James added another first when the Lakers won the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament, later renamed the NBA Cup. He was named event MVP.
That season, he also grew to become the first player in NBA historical past to attain 40,000 profession factors.
2024: The Bronny James second
The Lakers drafted Bronny James with the No. 55 choose in 2024. On Oct. 22, 2024, LeBron and Bronny grew to become the first father-son duo to play collectively in an NBA sport.
For James, it was the achievement of a purpose he had spoken about for years. For the Lakers, it was another historic second connected to one of the most uncommon celebrity tenures the franchise has ever had.
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James and his son Bronny grew to become the first father-son duo to play on the same in NBA historical past. Getty Images
2025-26: The closing information and the Luka Dončić pivot
James grew to become the first player to play in 23 NBA seasons. He handed Abdul-Jabbar for the most profession area targets made, handed Robert Parish for the most video games performed and reached 12,000 profession assists.
Still, the greatest second of the season may not have been one of his information.
It was the Lakers’ commerce for Luka Dončić.
The February 2025 deal, which despatched Anthony Davis to Dallas in a beautiful three-team commerce, gave Los Angeles a youthful franchise centerpiece and signaled that the post-LeBron period had already begun.
In retrospect, that transfer marked the finish of James’ Lakers period. The franchise was no longer constructed primarily around him. Dončić grew to become the future.
LeBron James’ Lakers timeline contains a 2020 title, scoring file, father-son historical past and the Luka Dončić commerce that modified everything. Getty Images
2026: The finish of the Lakers period
Now, James is leaving Los Angeles after eight seasons, one championship, one Finals MVP, one NBA Cup, the league scoring file, the first father-son sport in NBA historical past and a lengthy listing of milestones that may never be matched.
LeBron James came to Los Angeles to write the closing main chapter of his profession.
He ended up writing one of the strangest, most adorned and most debated chapters in Lakers historical past.
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