Salley, a solid big man during his time in the NBA, said critics who have said that James must "fit in, not fit out" added that the latter is no mere accessory in the Lakers' machine, but rather the glue that holds everything together.

Even without LeBron James available at all, the Los Angeles Lakers are off to a stellar season start. More news: Is Austin Reaves Pricing Himself Out of a Retur

The Los Angeles Lakers are flying to start the 2025-26 NBA season. After an opening night loss, the team has a 6-2 record. Luka Doncic is going off, Austin Reaves looks like an All-Star, and the new acquisitions are fitting in seamlessly.

How on Earth did a statement that began with the words "LeBron wants..." create so many questions about what LeBron wants? We've never really gotten clarity. James went dark for most of the summer. His media day quotes were pretty benign.

If Lakers guard Austin Reaves has proven anything over the past seven games, it's that he has the potential to be a team's go-to scoring option instead of playi

This start has led Jeff Teague to believe that these two young guards are the combo that will lead the team to success in the present and the future. More controversially, Teague also believes that the return of LeBron James will only spoil the team camaraderie, which, at the moment, looks destined to settle for nothing less than a championship.

There’s movement, already, in the NBA's balance of power.

The Los Angeles Lakers were short-staffed on Monday with Luka Dončić, LeBron James and Austin Reaves all sidelined, but they managed to pick up a 123-115 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.