State of LeBron James' Lakers right now summed up in one image

There’s a chasm splitting the Lakers apart.

The tenuous situation in Los Angeles was manifested in a photo of the bench circulating on Twitter Tuesday night. LeBron James sat on the end of the bench with three chairs separating him from his teammates, including Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma and Ivica Zubac, who have all been included in trade rumors this week. The photo surfaced during L.A.’s embarrassing 136-94 loss to the Pacers, who are playing without star Victor Oladipo.

It’s no secret that the Lakers are willing to give up almost an entire starting five to get Anthony Davis in the purple and gold, and James has not been shy about his desire to team up with Davis. The very public discussions between L.A. and New Orleans may be alienating some of the players, though, who are constantly hearing their names tossed around.

As of Tuesday, the Lakers had pulled out of discussions with the Pelicans because their asking price was becoming comical. But they still remain the frontrunners to get a deal done for Davis, considering the 25-year-old does not want to end up in Boston.

He had named the Knicks as his No. 1 choice last week, a source told the Daily News, but that fell apart when Kristaps Porzingis made it clear he would not commit to stay in New Orleans long-term.

Even if Davis does not end up in L.A., the damage to the Lakers, with a roster of young players that now might feel undervalued, could be irreparable.