That baton was passed as soon as L.A. finalized the trade that sent out James' handpicked sidekick, Anthony Davis, to acquire Luka Dončić, a 26-year-old megastar more than capable of piloting the Purple and Gold well past the LeBron era.

LeBron James has been with the Lakers for seven years. He recently exercised his player option for the 2025-26 season, but could be open to exploring options outside Los Angeles.

The crosstown rivals are in West Group B for the third In-Season Tournament, along with the Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans Pelicans.

Cooper spent his entire NBA career with the Lakers, appearing in 873 regular-season games with the franchise. Though Cooper was mostly utilized in a reserve role, that didn’t stop him from being a key piece in a Lakers organization that won plenty of titles during the 1980s.

In Southern California, every move — and non-move — being made is happening with visions of pouncing if another superstar comes calling.

However, the four-time NBA champion received a frightening retirement prediction from his son, Bryce James. "I ain't gonna lie that's OD (overdose-doing too much)," the Arizona freshman said on Instagram Live in response to a comment about him potentially joining his father in the league in 2026.

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Lakers' Timeline for Jeanie Buss to Relinquish Control of Team Is Shorter Than Expected. MILTON KEYNES, England (AP) — Red Bull says Christian Horner has been released from his role as longtime team principal of its Formula 1 team.