Bill Plaschke Doesn't Believe Lakers Can Win Another Title With LeBron James

Will James hoist up the Larry O'Brien Trophy again?

After winning the 2020 NBA title, everything seemed right with the world in Lakers land. The team had just claimed their 17th NBA title, and entering the next season, they seemed on their way to potentially going back-to-back. 

However, injuries doomed Los Angeles in the 2021 season, leading to a first-round exit. They followed that up by missing the postseason in 2022 and even last season reaching the Western Conference Finals. 

It's been an up-and-down few years for the Lakers, but entering this season, it felt different. They were expected to capitalize on the success from last year, but so far, it's been anything but that.

This year has been frustrating all around, simply because of their inconsistency. Sometimes they look unstoppable, and other times, unwatchable.

It's led them to hover around the .500 mark and has many questioning the roster construction. Even with a healthy LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the Lakers haven't been able to win games.

Longtime columnist for The Los Angeles Times, Bill Plaschke, doesn't believe that the Lakers will win another title with James on the roster.

"They’ll never win a championship as long as he’s here. He and Anthony Davis are both having spectacular seasons and they’re a .500 team. In this space, before the season, it was written that those two stars would be enough, but they’re not. And the Lakers just don’t have the talent or flexibility to make the kind of roster-buffeting move that would push them past Denver or the Clippers or Phoenix."

Per Bill Plaschke of The Los Angeles Times

With James, the Lakers' rosters have been limited in terms of flexibility. But that isn't entirely his fault.

This team has limited options to work with due to the two blockbuster trades that they have made. One for Anthony Davis that has worked out, and one for Russell Westbrook that 100% didn't work out.

Los Angeles moved most of their leftover assets to receive Westbrook years ago, and it depleted them. Plaschke may be right that the team won't win another title with James, but it's not for a lack of trying.