The Los Angeles Lakers locker room seems in trouble. Their golden duo, LeBron James and Luka Doncic, showed their on-court chemistry by balancing wins. But behind the scenes, they are reportedly not on the same page.
Luka Doncic joined the Lakers in February after being traded by the Dallas Mavericks. Since then, the Slovenian guard has gained much more attention than he deserves. Meanwhile, LeBron James, the all-time Lakers star, opted into his $52.6 million player option for the 2025-26 season.
“LeBron knows the Lakers are building for the future and wants to compete for championships,” James’ longtime agent, Rich Paul, said. The statement highly indicated that James is no longer the centerpiece in the Lakers’ depth.
On Bruno’s & Gambo’s show, John Gambadoro stated that many in the Lakers lineup don’t want to play with Luka. He included James and Austin Reaves’ names. “The Lakers will return their attention to build around Luka, not LeBron. This is Luka’s team now,” he added.
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The franchise deals with many new changes, with roster decisions looming and the Lakers eyeing the 2027 cap flexibility. Under the new ownership and the new head coach, JJ Redick, the team must build a strong foundation within the lineup. Whether on the court or behind, the team needs to remain united to chase the NBA title strongly next season.
Former Boston Celtics Star Made A Bold Statement On LeBron James
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LeBron James proved his greatness with the Lakers, and it’s time now; he seems to be winding down. At the age of 40, he is still at a high level. With plenty of historic milestones, the four-time NBA champion is entering his 23rd year of an NBA career.
Boston Celtics legend Paul Pierce recently spoke up on “FS1’s Speak” about James’ era with the Lakers. He believes the Lakers should move on from LeBron. “If the Lakers want to get back to being a title contender, you have to get out of the constraints of the LeBron era…” he added.
If James steps back before Doncic’s next contract ends, the Lakers will face tough decisions. As the next season approaches, the doubt remains whether the Lakers will run on the same page or face another drastic change in the lineup.
