The face of the Lakers has successfully transitioned from one start to another. If you look back in history, George Mikan was the first face of the Lakers. After Mikan, Clyde Lovellette took over. Then, Elgin Baylor and Jerry West enjoyed duties together. Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar enjoyed a decade of success. Shaquille O’Neal was the man, while Kobe Bryant went from Robin to Batman. Then, after a brief hiatus, LeBron James came to town and has been the face of the Lakers since 2018.
James, who helped the Lakers win a title in 2020, is entering the final year of his contract. With his age, and the latest terrible season L.A. displayed this last season, there is a belief that he could be out. With the possibility of playing with his son later in his career, combined with the chance the Lakers are not a contender, James could be gone after this or next season.
The Lakers are seen as a top team among all brands in the game of basketball. There are plenty of young stars in the game today that could be the successor to James if he truly leaves. The question is who is the most realistic and who is not. These 8 stars are the most realistic and unrealistic candidates as we dive into the replacements for the post-LeBron era.