LeBron James understands the Los Angeles Lakers' decision to pivot to building around Luka Doncic given the fact one player is nearing retirement and the other is in the middle of his prime. However, nuance was sometimes lost during the transition as the organization made clear their priorities had changed.
The Lakers acquired Doncic in a February trade for Anthony Davis, signaling a shift away from their longtime superstar. Doncic had never asked to be traded to the Lakers and intended to sign a supermax extension with the Dallas Mavericks, while James had chosen the Lakers in 2018 when the team had missed the playoffs five consecutive seasons.
The Lakers did not offer James a contract extension beyond the 2025-26 season, marking the first time in his 23-year career a team hasn't prioritized keeping him long-term. James subsequently picked up his $52.6 million player option.
Since the Doncic trade on February 1, the Lakers have signaled this transition through several notable actions. They gave James minimal notice about the Davis-for-Doncic trade, though sources said he forgave this transgression due to his respect for Doncic.
The organization immediately attempted to pair Doncic with athletic young center Mark Williams. James and Davis had previously requested the franchise acquire a true center without success.
When the Buss family sold a majority stake to Mark Walter on June 18, Doncic received advance notice and posted congratulations on social media. James was not given the same courtesy and made no public acknowledgment.
James has responded to this treatment by dropping cryptic hints about his future, a pattern he's followed when frustrated with franchises.
"Nothing LeBron does is a coincidence," said one source who knows him well.
After the Lakers' playoff elimination, he referenced Davis' trade request when asked about physicality changes.
"No comment," James said. "I never say that because my guy AD said what he needed and he was gone the following week."
James has also posted social media content referencing his Cleveland Cavaliers tenure, including a July 4 repost of Lakers broadcaster Allie Clifton wearing a Cavaliers jersey.
"We understand the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future. We do want to evaluate what's best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career," Rich Paul said in a statement to ESPN's Shams Charania.
"He wants to make every season he has left count, and the Lakers understand that, are supportive and want what's best for him."
The statement immediately sent the NBA world into speculation mode. Though James picked up his player option, the message read like a potential goodbye letter, suggesting a larger strategy was developing.
Multiple executives around the league began considering whether to pursue James, including the Golden State Warriors who attempted to trade for him in 2023-24. One Eastern Conference executive believed James wanted out of Los Angeles entirely.
The gigantic trade that landed Doncic in Los Angeles created new realities, including James becoming an expiring contract for the first time in his career. It represents the strongest sign yet that his Lakers tenure may be nearing its end. While it is not explicit, the Lakers have signaled that they intend to move on from James after the 2025-26 season when his contract expires.
