Many argue that the Lakers should act with urgency this season due to LeBron James’ age, but it’s really Anthony Davis’ prime that should be the driving force behind the team’s push.

The trade deadline is just one week away, marking a pivotal moment in LeBron James’ illustrious career. For someone who has spent much of his over two-decade NBA journey urging organizations to build championship-contending teams, this is significant.

Now, at 40 years old, LeBron has played long enough for one of his sons to enter the NBA. Although he continues to defy Father Time, his career is far from indefinite. LeBron is at the stage where thinking about next season’s title hopes is nothing more than speculation. While he may joke about playing for another five seasons, his focus is firmly on the present, and looking too far ahead would be unrealistic.

This has led to a common view this season: the Lakers should make a move to improve the roster in pursuit of a title, primarily for LeBron’s sake. On the surface, this seems logical. Any urgency the Lakers feel should revolve around him, right?

Well, yes and no.

While LeBron’s age is undeniably a factor in team-building, I believe the focus should equally be on his superstar teammate, Anthony Davis. Let me explain why.

Imagine you’re Anthony Davis. You know what it takes to win at the highest level and understand the importance of having both strong teammates and an elite co-star to anchor a championship-caliber team.

Looking at your current team, you see a group of solid players, but the roster isn’t quite at the level needed for a title run. Yet, you also recognize LeBron James, still playing at a high level most nights, capable of stepping up in crucial moments. Your history with LeBron, including winning a championship together and a gold medal this past summer, fosters a strong sense of trust.

Teams like Boston (Tatum and Brown), Dallas (Luka and Kyrie), New York (Towns and Brunson), and Phoenix (Durant and Booker) boast great duos, but beyond them, few teams can match the caliber of LeBron and Davis.

For Davis, this leads to two conclusions:

First, it’s rare to construct a team with two players as talented as him and LeBron. Only a few teams in the league feature a similar duo, and it’s something Davis hasn’t experienced until LeBron joined the Lakers, making him fully aware of how difficult it is to build a championship foundation like theirs.

Second, despite the league’s parity, the Lakers’ current combination of talent, especially with LeBron, gives Davis the best chance to chase a title. Given the difficulty of acquiring a teammate of LeBron’s caliber, Davis may wonder when the next opportunity will come to play alongside someone of his level. Even if that opportunity arises, how long will it take to build the necessary team chemistry and experience to truly contend?

Ultimately, if you’re Davis, you may realize that the time to go all-in is now.