It’s been nearly a week since LeBron James informed the Lakers he wasn’t going to play for them next season, but apparently, the Lakers were prepared for it.
According to NBA insider Ric Bucher, on his show “On The Ball With Ric Bucher,” the Lakers have been preparing for a life without James since they acquired Luka Doncic in 2025.
“I had to smile when it was reported that LeBron informed the Lakers that he didn’t intend to play for the Lakers next year. As if the Lakers weren’t intending for that to be the case,” Bucher said on his show. “But kudos to the Lakers for allowing LeBron to present it that way and preserve some dignity on the way out.”
Bucher went on to call out James and his agent, Rich Paul, for saying that every NBA team was interested in acquiring James by saying, “If teams were interested, he wouldn’t have to reach out to them.”
At 41 years old, James is coming off a season in which he played in 60 regular-season games, averaging 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists. James is still playing at a high level, but his numbers were below his career average of 26.8 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.4 assists.
“It’s a sign that LeBron and Rich are struggling with the new reality, which is LeBron simply isn’t valued the way he once was. He does not have the leverage he once did,” Bucher said. “Which is not an indictment, no one is going to invest in a player that is turning 42 years old next season and comes with the outsized attention and servicing that LeBron does.”
In 2025, the Lakers shocked the world when they announced they were trading Anthony Davis to the Mavericks for Doncic in a three-team deal that included the Jazz.
Doncic was just removed from helping the Mavericks reach the NBA Finals the season before and was in the middle of having a great year, averaging 28.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game.
While James’ next destination is unknown, it won’t be with the Lakers because the team is focusing on building around Doncic.
So far, the Lakers have acquired Walker Kessler in a sign-and-trade with the Jazz, which included multiple draft picks.
They also signed Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Collin Sexton.
Before free agency began, the Lakers re-signed Austin Reaves to a four-year, $185 million contract, making him the richest player who went undrafted in NBA history.
