The Lakers are targeting Robert Williams! Renowned reporter: Next season will be LeBron's final season

The Lakers' roster is nearly finalized. NBA reporter Evan Sidery stated today that the expected rotation for the Lakers next season will include starting players: Doncic, Reaves, Hachimura, LeBron, and Ayton. The second unit will consist of Vincent, Smart, Knect, Laravia, Vanderbilt, and Hayes. The total win count is projected to be around 47.5 games.

Well-known reporter Marc Stein reported today that Doncic plans to return to the U.S. soon for a long-planned Jordan Brand promotional tour to participate in his signature sneaker line. He is expected to join the Slovenian national team in early August to prepare for the European Basketball Championship.

Recently, training videos of Doncic show that he has lost quite a bit of weight. The key point is that he is still making shots.

The Lakers currently have 14 players under official contracts, leaving one spot available. Relevant sources indicate that the Lakers are currently the team most likely to acquire Robert Williams. The Warriors, Bucks, Celtics, Rockets, Knicks, and Raptors follow behind the Lakers.

American media ClutchPoints stated that given the team's clear need for athleticism and defensive presence in the paint, the Lakers are viewing the acrobatic Robert Williams as a potential cornerstone to strengthen their frontcourt.

His elite shot-blocking ability and on-court energy could become a key piece for the Lakers' return to championship contention. Williams' ability to disrupt shots, push the fast break, and finish in the paint aligns perfectly with the Lakers' vision of building a more mobile, defense-first team.

Another NBA reporter, Jake Fischer, mentioned that if Love is bought out by the Jazz, he would prefer to play in a "spotlight market," with New York and Los Angeles as potential destinations. According to previous reports, the soon-to-be 37-year-old Love is looking at his next contract as the last of his career.

NBA reporter Brett Siegel published an article today with a lot of information.

For instance, the Trail Blazers will not pursue a buyout or trade for Jrue Holiday. This scenario is unlikely because Holiday himself is excited about the opportunity in Portland. More importantly, the team originally traded for him to leverage his experience to help the team grow. Rumors about him being traded to the Lakers are simply unfounded, and there is no need to discuss this possibility.

The reporter also believes that the Lakers will be very active before the trade deadline. After signing Smart, the Lakers' roster for the 2025-26 season seems to be nearly finalized.

Currently, 14 out of 15 roster spots for the Lakers are confirmed, with the total salary cap just $1 million below the NBA's highest luxury tax threshold. Theoretically, the team could still consider signing remaining veteran free agents in the market, such as Brogdon or Gary Payton II.

However, with Smart just joining, why would these two players want to come to the Lakers? Moreover, the team needs to clear contract space through trades to gain flexibility under the salary cap restrictions.

It seems that this is basically the framework of the Lakers' roster for training camp in the new season—they have addressed key needs this summer: finding a stable center and enhancing their 3D depth on the perimeter. I firmly believe that before the 2026 NBA trade deadline, the Lakers will be very active since they have about $44 million in expiring contracts (not including LeBron), which will provide ample trading flexibility.

Regarding LeBron's future in the NBA, a recent rumor has circulated: this could be his final season in his career. We have heard similar rumors before, but now this possibility seems increasingly real.

LeBron has been unusually low-key this summer, focusing solely on enjoying time with his family. More notably, he continues to invest significant energy into off-court business ventures, including collaborations with Amazon and exploring opportunities to establish an ownership group for a Las Vegas team.

All signs indicate that the 2025-26 season is likely to be LeBron's farewell season—especially since he has openly expressed a desire to play 23 years in the NBA, a number that is both his personal hallmark and echoes Michael Jordan's legendary number. Reports from the Summer League suggest that if LeBron decides to retire, he may announce it in August. As for LeBron's next steps, time will provide the answers.