The Los Angeles Lakers look like positioning themselves for a future with out LeBron James, regardless of the celebrity exercising his $52.6 million participant possibility for the 2025-26 season.
For the primary time in his profession, the franchise has chosen to not supply James an extension, creating hypothesis in regards to the group’s long-term dedication to their getting old star.
The Lakers’ silence relating to James’ future has caught the eye of analysts throughout the league.
Fox Sports activities’ Doug Gottlieb not too long ago supplied his perspective on the scenario throughout his present.
“Why would the Lakers go from ‘we need to go all-in on LeBron’ to promoting the workforce, and so they don’t even name him? My greatest guess is the ‘LeBron factor is rather a lot.’ It wears you down. I feel the Lakers are simply performed with it,” Gottlieb mentioned.
“Why would the Lakers go from ‘we need to go all-in on LeBron’ to promoting the workforce, and so they do not even name him? My greatest guess is the ‘LeBron factor is rather a lot.’ It wears you down…I feel the Lakers are simply performed with it.”
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— FOX Sports activities Radio (@FoxSportsRadio) July 12, 2025
Gottlieb suggests the group has grown uninterested in the fixed calls for that include managing James.
The analyst factors to years of roster building centered round James’ preferences, together with the push for Russell Westbrook over DeMar DeRozan, as proof of how the franchise has catered to their star participant.
The biking by means of coaches who struggled to navigate the dynamics surrounding James has additionally contributed to organizational fatigue, based on Gottlieb.
He believes the entrance workplace has grown weary of feeling like James was controlling workforce selections from behind the scenes.
Even Bronny James’ presence has reportedly created friction inside the group, with some questioning the dealing with of his G League improvement.
Gottlieb frames this as a part of a broader sample the place James’ affect finally turns into overwhelming for organizations.
The irony, based on Gottlieb, lies in how James appears unsettled by the Lakers’ current silence, mirroring his personal strategy to wielding energy when conditions not serve his pursuits.
NEXT: Lakers May Make Huge Determination With LeBron James In 2026