NBA Rumors: This could be LeBron James' final season in L.A.

The Los Angeles Lakers are in a tough spot this off-season. As much as they want to rebuild their roster, Russell Westbrook’s mammoth contract takes a huge chunk of the salary cap, so there’s only so much they can do.

But more than that, there’s always the LeBron James situation also looming in. While he’s still under contract, he has refused to sign an extension, and some believe he won’t extend his stay beyond this season.

That includes Jovan Buha of The Athletic, who recently claimed that this could be LeBron’s final season in purple and gold if the team doesn’t make major moves orfinds success next season.

NBA Rumors: LeBron James Could Leave If The Lakers Struggle This Season

“I’m gonna say it won’t [be LeBron James’ last season in LA], but I think it really depends on Russ and the season that they have,” Buha said. “I think if they stand pat and basically punt the season, I could see him potentially leaving next offseason, but my expectation is they’re gonna flip Russ at some point. And assuming they get Buddy Hield or Kyrie, or a decent package back for them, I think that’s probably enough to satisfy LeBron and keep it in L.A.”

Lakers Are A Play-In Team, Should Bench Westbrook

Buha also claimed that the Lakers are no better than any of the Western Conference contenders. That’s why they desperately need to move Russell Westbrook or even sit him for the full season like John Wall did:

“The Lakers are a play-in team as currently constructed, and they might be on the low end of the play-in, they might be a 9th or 10th seed if we’re looking at how deep the West is,” Buha added.“You got the Clippers now healthy with Kawhi, you got Denver coming back with Jamal Murray and Michael Porter, Phoenix kept Ayton, Golden State is the defending champs, Memphis, Dallas, Minnesota loaded up, New Orleans is getting Zion back. The West is loaded and if you compete those teams with the Lakers, maybe the Lakers is worse than those teams… If they can’t move Russ for Buddy Hield or Kyrie [Irving], maybe just send him home, like John Wall in Houston.”

Pointing the finger at Westbrook for the team’s struggles on the court may not be accurate, but his big contract put the team in a position to fail, and that’s on Rob Pelinka. So, if LeBron decides to take his talents somewhere else, it may also mean the G.M.’s time in L.A. is over.