LeBron James decided to part ways with the Los Angeles Lakers this summer, but that wasn’t down to any personal issues with Luka Doncic. ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported James felt it was time to move on and that there was still a disconnect between him and the Lakers, stemming from the Russell Westbrook trade.
“There was no personal rift between James and Doncic, multiple team sources told ESPN.
“While they worked through growing pains on the court as two ball-dominant players, they got along and respected one another off of it.
“There was more of a disconnect between James and the organization, sources said, one that started during the doomed 2021-22 season following the Russell Westbrook trade and never fully recovered.
“Ultimately, James recognized the Lakers were in a different phase with their franchise and chose to prioritize his basketball happiness, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania, in finding his next situation — which will be the last stop of his Hall of Fame career.”
James’ agent and Klutch Sports Group CEO Rich Paul revealed earlier this week that his client wants complete happiness. Paul shared that the 41-year-old told him he was 80% staying with the Lakers a few weeks back, but then, for whatever reason, decided he didn’t want to go back.
James told Paul there was no need even to meet the Lakers. They wanted the 22-time All-Star to stay, but they didn’t even get an opportunity to present an offer. You wonder why he changed his mind.
As the disconnect between James and the Lakers, this isn’t the first time we have heard about this. NBA insider Jovan Buha reported that the relationship between player and team changed after the failed Westbrook trade.
Now, we don’t know for sure who was the driving force behind that trade, but it has been reported that James and Anthony Davis wanted the Lakers to acquire Westbrook in 2021. He seemed like a terrible fit, but the front office managed to bring him in from the Washington Wizards for Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell, and a first-round pick.
There are times when the outside world gets proven wrong about a trade, but that wasn’t the case here. Westbrook’s tenure with the Lakers was a complete disaster, as he didn’t fit well with James and Davis. He was traded to the Utah Jazz in February 2023, and that was what was best for all parties.
After that debacle of a trade, the Lakers didn’t make the kind of all-in moves that James would have wanted. They were keeping an eye on the future and were holding on to their first-round picks.
The Lakers would finally make a big trade in February 2025, but it was one that might have indirectly led to James’ departure. They shocked the basketball world back then by landing Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks.
Up to that point, the Lakers had unquestionably been James’ team since he arrived in 2018. He had been the top dog, but that changed with Doncic’s arrival. Any moves the Lakers would make from then on would be with the Slovenian in mind.
If James wasn’t being listened to earlier, things would have only gotten worse following Doncic’s arrival. Parting ways instead of sticking around when there is a disconnect that isn’t going away was probably for the best.
Doncic did enjoy their time together, as evidenced by his reaction to James’ departure. You wish these two had gotten to play together a bit longer, but it wasn’t to be.
McMenamin reported that James is now looking to go somewhere where he can play “meaningful, competitive basketball.” It will be interesting to see where he chooses to go.
James’ Lakers tenure has ended with one title, one Finals MVP, and one assists title in eight seasons. He put up 25.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, 7.9 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game in that time. Lakers fans never seemed to fully embrace James, but he revived the franchise with his arrival and deserves all the respect in the world.
