LOS ANGELES – – — The Los Angeles Lakers are off to a surprisingly good start even without the services of the great LeBron James.

Los Angeles sit at 10-4 after their 119-95 victory of the Bucks last night in Milwaukee and look like one of the top six teams in the Western Conference. After 14 games they are in first place in the Pacific Division.

Luka Doncic has slowly become the face of the team and is playing at MVP-level to start the season. Doncic is averaging 34.4 points, 8.9 rebounds and 8.9 assists leading the team to early success. 

It’s not just a one man show either. 

Austin Reaves is playing at an All Star-level as he is averaging 28.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 8.2 assists. Doncic and Reaves look like a dynamic duo that can lead the Lakers to a successful season with or without James.

The offense is flowing well with great player movement and ball movement which has led to great play from the likes of Rui Hachimura (15.8 ppg), Deandre Ayton (16.2 ppg) and Jake LaRavia (10.2 ppg). The defense is as feisty as ever led by the presence of Marcus Smart and a healthy Jarred Vanderbilt.

Even with the surprising start, the Lakers still look like they are a couple pieces or more away from really contending with the likes of Oklahoma City or even the Houston Rockets.

Los Angeles must try to win every year they have a healthy Doncic but also have to look a bit towards the future to make sure their roster is able to compete against the top of the NBA.

That’s where James comes in. James of course is arguably the greatest player of all time and an American sports icon. His name alone enhances any franchise and his game on the court helps as well. But, James will be 41 next month while coming off a sciatica injury. He seems to be a bit at odds with the Lakers since they couldn’t come to an agreement for an extended contract.

Does James make the Lakers a better team? Of course he does. Does he make them championship contenders? I don’t think so. 

With his return things will be altered. Doncic will be able to be himself but James will likely take away from some of the responsibilities of Reaves. With Reaves playing so well is that even the right thing to do? Doncic, Reaves and James have similar playing styles. They thrive with the ball in their hands while using pick & rolls to break down defenses. Neither of the three is really known for being amazing off-ball players.

The return of James will lead to a big shift on how things are going for second-year coach JJ Redick and his team. Redick looks in full control of his squad at the moment but with a talent and presence like James things can change.

So why not fully embrace the Doncic era now! With James on the roster Doncic can never be the biggest brand and name on the team. With the said player away from the team things could be different. So, why not move Bron and possibly his son Bronny James for two or three players that can fit around the duo of Doncic & Reaves.

Trading the James’ away would take a multi-team trade and would take the eldest James signing off on it due to his no trade clause in his contract.  

For James it may not be an ideal move but for the Lakers if they want to fully embrace a new era it would take trading away its aging superstar.

This is most likely James’ final season with the Lakers whether he retires or moves on to another franchise. Why not get a head start on the after James era and actually received something in return for losing him.

I know many will say I’m crazy or even a “LeBron hater” but I am ready for a full embrace of Doncic and his era leading the Lakers.