"Spend some money" - Jim Jackson explains why the Lakers will try everything to build a championship-caliber squad for LeBron next season
LeBron James' decision to opt in to his player option worth nearly $53 million has been a popular topic these days, as some have chastised him for taking the money instead of re-negotiating a more team-friendly deal.
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With King James' salary eating up a substantial piece of the Los Angeles Lakers' pie, the team has been left with few options to upgrade its roster. Even though they did get former first-overall pick DeAndre Ayton to be their starting center, they still lack a dependable backup big and capable wing defenders to truly be a team to be reckoned with in the West.
Former NBA veteran Jim Jackson, who is now thriving as a media personality, is confident the Lakers, with their new owners, will do right by the Bron and spend what is needed to elevate the roster to contender status.
Creating a championship team doesn't come cheap
History has shown that if a franchise plans to pursue the coveted Larry O'Brien trophy, the team owner must break out their checkbook and be willing to pay top dollar for quality players. Los Angeles has always been a popular destination for free agents due to its desirable location, media exposure, and championship pedigree. However, the past few years have seen the Purple & Gold struggle to recruit top talent and make deep playoff runs.
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Case in point: when the NBA's free agency period opened, while Western Conference teams like the Houston Rockets and the Denver Nuggets loaded up on talent, all the Lakers got was three-year pro Jake LaRavia, a 6'8" power forward who averaged 6.9 points and 3.9 rebounds while playing for the Memphis Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings last season. Jackson said this just won't cut it.
"You got new management coming in, but they have to make some moves and they got to spend some money to do it," Jim told popular sportscaster Dan Patrick. "That's the thing, because now you got all this influx of new money, new ownership, and if you want the Lakers — well, you want the Lakers to continue to be kind of a marquee franchise — you got to spend some money."
Aside from needing to augment their roster, the Lakers' front office also has some financial dealings to complete with superstar guard Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, both of whom are due for new contracts. This means the franchise has a lot of financial decisions to make to help the team become a legitimate contender.
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Related: "God, I hope I don't get into this game. I'm not ready for this stuff" - Steve Kerr said watching Michael Jordan for the first time made him feel he didn't belong in NBA
OKC is the exception
The Oklahoma City Thunder's recent rise to the NBA's mountaintop was remarkable for numerous reasons; the most prominent of which was that they did it without breaking the bank. However, Jackson cited that this occurrence was an exception and not the rule.
"Look at the teams that have won NBA titles. They spent money," he shared. "Now, OKC is a little bit different because they built theirs organically and didn't have to have a big salary cap and payroll because a lot of their guys were young."
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"But from the perspective of Golden State, of Milwaukee, teams like that — and now Boston — that were in that first apron, or now the second apron, you had to spend some money. You had to go out and overpay to get talent to win it,"Jim stressed.
Money matters in the NBA. Fans must never forget that their favorite franchises are businesses run by owners and executives who prioritize profit. This often translates into difficult financial decisions, something the Lakers know all too well.
Related: LeBron doesn't think defense in the NBA has evolved by much: "There is too much switching"
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
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