NBA Roundtable: Will LeBron James and Paul George be back in LA next season?

The conference semifinals are underway in the NBA Playoffs, which means four teams from each conference have already been sent home, including both of the star-studded Los Angeles teams.

This week, we asked FOX Sports’ panel of NBA reporters — Melissa Rohlin and Yaron Weitzman — to look back at the first round of the NBA Playoffs and predict what the results mean for the remainer of the postseason and beyond.

1. The Denver Nuggets are in trouble after dropping their first two games at home to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Why do you think the Nuggets are struggling so much against the Timberwolves?

Yaron: Jamal Murray isn’t healthy, and Denver was already lacking in depth. But the answer is because of what the Timberwolves have done, and just how good they’ve become. We’re seeing why they were the best defense in the NBA during the regular season; in Rudy Gobert, Jaden McDaniels and Anthony Edwards they might have three of the best 15-or-so defensive players in the league. And they’re ability to have one big man defend Jokic so that Gobert can roam the weak side and shut down those lobs that Jokic loves to toss makes them more equipped to slow the Denver attack than anyone. Combine all that with Edwards’ ascension on offense and you have the makings of what just might be a juggernaut. 

Melissa: Nikola Jokic recently joked that he needs a clone of himself against the Timberwolves’ swarming defense and he might be right, especially with Jamal Murray struggling so much offensively. Murray, who is known as one of the top postseason performers in the league, went 6-for-14 from the field in Game 1 and 3-for-18 in Game 2. That’s just not going to cut it against the Timberwolves, who are clicking on all cylinders right now, led by bonafide superstar Anthony Edwards.

[Related: Anthony Edwards hears your Michael Jordan comparisons, but ‘it’s just not possible’]

2. The Indiana Pacers nearly stole one from the New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden on Monday despite a rough night from Tyrese Haliburton. Should the Knicks be concerned? Are the Pacers a bigger threat than the masses are giving them credit for

Yaron: The Knicks should be concerned, but because this is the second round of the playoffs and the Pacers are a good team and a tough one to play, not because of anything the Knicks did wrong. The Pacers play really fast and are really tough to defend, and anyone who thought this was going to be a cakewalk for the Knicks was misguided. That said, the Knicks just have more talent. The way Indy sticks to shooters on defense is going to make life too easy for Jalen Brunson, and I expect the Knicks’ size to wear the Pacers down. 

Melissa: It’s not time for the Knicks to sound the alarm, not with Jalen Brunson scoring 40 or more points in each of his last four games. The Knicks just need to adjust the pace and settle down offensively after finishing with 14 turnovers, compared to the Pacers’ 7. A scary point of focus for the Knicks: Their bench was outscored, 46-3. I fully expect the Knicks to make some adjustments in Game 2 and for this to turn into an interesting series. That said, underestimating the Pacers would be a huge mistake. 

3. The Dallas Mavericks are in the Western Conference semis after knocking off the LA Clippers in six games. Will we see Paul George back in a Clippers uniform next season? Why or why not?

Yaron: Maybe if they hadn’t already locked up Kawhi Leonard to a longterm extension there’d be an argument to be made for the Clippers to reset things. And maybe if they weren’t moving into a new stadium next season they’d be open to a rebuild. But they did sign Kawhi to an extension, meaning they’d basically have no cap space to replace George even if he did leave. And they are moving into a new building, meaning they’re going to want to put a competitive product out on the floor. I expect George’s camp to extract as much money as it can via leaks and leverage, but in the end, I’d be surprised if George is not back with the Clippers.

Melissa: The Clippers have reportedly tried to sign George to multiple contract offers beneath the max, which his camp has rejected. The Clippers need to pay up if they want to keep him, which, I expect they will. The Clippers have been one of the NBA’s biggest disappointments over the last three years, falling to advance past the first round of the playoffs since reaching the Western Conference Finals in 2021. Even though they can point to the health of their superstars as being their issue, it’s clear something has to give. But, from what I hear, they want George back, and here’s to betting Steve Ballmer will make that happen. 

4. Down the hall, the Los Angeles Lakers are about to begin their search for a new head coach. Which candidate stands out to you as the best fit for this Lakers team?

Yaron: None? I just think it’s an impossible job. You have to coach a 40-year-old all-time great in LeBron. And deal with all the internal politics that come into play in Lakers-land. And you’re inheriting a team with championship expectations despite a roster lacking talent. Ty Lue is one of those coaches who checks all these boxes, which is why the Lakers should have hired him in 2019, but the Clippers aren’t going to let him go. 

Melissa: Ty Lue is the obvious choice. He led James to a championship in 2016 in Cleveland. They still have a great relationship. And James even publicly lauded him earlier in the season for the way he integrated James Harden into the Clippers’ lineup, which was widely interpreted as a dig at Darvin Ham’s stream of lineup changes. But Lue is still under contract with the Clippers for another season. And I don’t see a world in which Ballmer lets him go.

5. In addition to their head coaching search, the Lakers might be bracing themselves for a future without LeBron James. Do you think James will be back in LA next season, or is there a team that makes more sense for him at this stage of his career?

Yaron: I’d be stunned if he was wearing a different uniform next season. There’s no situation that fits everything he wants and needs. The Sixers have the cap space and are contenders, but is really going to move cross country? The Warriors would be interesting, but they have no way to sign him, and I don’t see LeBron signing for any form of a mid-level exception. Who else is there? And it’s not like the Lakers are a wasteland, either.

Melissa: I’d also be floored if James didn’t return to the Lakers. He and Anthony Davis still very much believe in one another. He loves LA. And I don’t see him uprooting his life and his family at this point in his career. The question is whether the Lakers will be able to make the necessary roster adjustments to actually turn the team into a contender, so they don’t squander another one of his unprecedented performances in what will be his 22nd season. It’s already clear that the Lakers would be willing to draft James’ son,  Bronny. Now, we’ll see if they can do what it takes to make the roster formidable.

Yaron Weitzman is an NBA writer for FOX Sports. He is the author of “Tanking to the Top: The Philadelphia 76ers and the Most Audacious Process in the History of Professional Sports.” Follow him on Twitter @YaronWeitzman.

Melissa Rohlin is an NBA writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the league for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Times, the Bay Area News Group and the San Antonio Express-News. Follow her on Twitter @melissarohlin.

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