LeBron James fears getting traded like Anthony Davis after being pushed to talk about Lakers' need at center

After the Lakers' 2025 NBA playoffs first-round exit, LeBron James joked about the possibility of LA trading him like Anthony Davis if he asked for a center. LA's lack of depth at the five got them in trouble against an oversized and athletic Timberwolves team in a shocking manner, which was one of the primary talking points, especially after Wednesday's Game 5.

The Lakers had no answers for Rudy Gobert, who dropped a playoff-career-high 27 points and 24 rebounds (nine offensive), who led Minnesota to a 103-96 win on a night where Anthony Edwards (15 points) didn't get going. The Lakers played a center-less lineup for pretty much the entire 48 minutes after benching Jaxson Hayes.

When asked about LA's glaring weakness at the five, James offered "no comments," adding:

"My guy AD said [what he wanted,] and he was gone the following week."

James referred to Davis' January interview with insider Shams Charania, where he publicly demanded that the Lakers trade for a center and let him play the power forward spot. Within a few weeks, Davis was traded to Dallas for Luka Doncic. While he never got to play with a center again in LA, Davis got his wish in Dallas, where he played with Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively in the frontcourt.

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LeBron James' offseason decision will be key to the Lakers' plans for adding a center

LeBron James will not face the same fate as Anthony Davis. The Lakers knew they had depth issues at the five spot once they moved Davis for Luka Doncic. They almost resolved it quickly by trading for Mark Williams, days after Doncic's trade. However, Williams failed his physical, and LA pulled out of the deal.

Jaxson Hayes, whose production wasn't any better than most third-string centers in the NBA, was the Lakers' starter at the five. It worked out until Hayes consistently delivered, but superior defensive centers with more girth made him a non-factor. Rudy Gobert is a prime example of why Hayes was never the answer.

Nevertheless, with the season done and dusted, the Lakers have key offseason decisions pending. Their primary task would be to get Luka Doncic a lob threat and maximize his offensive talent. LeBron James will be key in this due to his player option worth $52.6 million.

If James opts in, the 40-year-old's salary could significantly limit LA's spending power in the offseason. With most starting-caliber centers on lucrative contracts north of $20 million, it would be ideal if James takes a pay cut.

Another way the Lakers can truly maximize their roster around Luka Doncic is if James calls time in his career this offseason. So far, he's not indicated anything about his plans to hang his sneakers, but if it does happen, the Lakers will have significant cap flexibility to work with.