"Trade Bron and Bronny to Cleveland" - Former Finals MVP wants Lakers to rebuild around Luka Doncic after blockbuster deal 

Celtics legend and former NBA Finals MVP Paul Pierce has weighed in on LeBron James' future following the shocking trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Lakers.

Getting Luka Doncic, 25 and one of the best players in the NBA, is a huge deal for the 17-time NBA champions. However, it presents them with an uncomfortable reality of differing timelines.

LeBron James is 40, and it's difficult to see a starting backcourt of James and Doncic holding up against the league's best offenses during the playoffs.

Both players have vastly decorated playoff resumes, but Doncic has acquired a bit of a reputation for not giving it his all on the defensive end in the postseason.

Similarly, LeBron, once one of the league's most terrifying defensive presences, has slowed down considerably well into the third decade of his NBA career.

Paul Pierce therefore suggested a reunion to where it all started for LeBron James - his native state team, the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Cavaliers are in the midst of a great season and have a team that's firing on all cylinders. However, this seems unlikely to ever come into fruition.

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What does the Lakers starting lineup look like with Luka Doncic?

With LeBron James and Luka Doncic on the court at the same time, the Lakers will benefit from the vision and IQ of two genius level creators in the pick-and-roll. Doncic and James also have a penchant for elevating role players.

It also comes with the disadvantage of two players not known for their defensive abilities. Anthony Davis acted as the anchor of the Lakers defense for years as a perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate. With only Jaxson Hayes available for the starting big role in the lineup, JJ Redick will have to rely on players like Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, or Dorian Finney-Smith off the bench for defensive stops.

Based on recent updates and considerations, the Lakers' starting lineup now looks like this:

Point Guard: Luka Doncic

Shooting Guard: Austin Reaves

Small Forward: LeBron James

Power Forward: Rui Hachimura

Center: Jaxson Hayes