The Los Angeles Lakers were eliminated in the first round of the NBA postseason. But what exactly does that mean for the 40-year-old LeBron James?

From the moment the trade happened, most could see Los Angeles shifted its timeline by swapping Anthony Davis for Luka Dončić. Dončić is six years younger than Davis, and more importantly, AD's departure exacerbated one of the team's biggest issues. L.A.'s lack of interior protection was exposed again and again by Minnesota.

As soon as the final buzzer sounded on the Los Angeles Lakers's season Wednesday night, the clock started an annual rite of spring: rampant speculation and intrigue about the future of one LeBron James.