Maybe the writing was on the wall back in February. But now it’s big, bold, purple and gold.<\/p>\n
LeBron James is no longer the centerpiece of the Los Angeles Lakers. Luka Don\u010di\u0107 is the new franchise cornerstone.<\/p>\n
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The cracks of that tectonic shift have been forming over the last five-plus months. A fissure could result.<\/p>\n
The Lakers are trying to navigate a transition of power from one of the sport’s greatest players of all time. As ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne and Brian Windhorst comprehensively reported Friday<\/a>, behind the scenes, the organization hasn’t been making that change subtly.<\/p>\n Shelburne and Windhorst’s report revealed that James was not given a heads-up about the sale of the franchise from the Buss family to Mark Walter<\/a>, whereas the 26-year-old Don\u010di\u0107 was.<\/p>\n Additionally, the Lakers didn’t offer James an extension, according to ESPN, implying that general manager Rob Pelinka was comfortable having the 40-year-old, four-time NBA champion on an expiring contract for the 2025-26 season.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Although James picked up his $52.6 million player option<\/a> in late June, the news came with an eyebrow-raising statement from his agent, Rich Paul, who reportedly had to inform the organization of James’ decision to opt in after the Lakers didn’t engage in “substantial discussions” about a potential extension.<\/p>\n “We understand the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future,” Paul said in the statement to ESPN’s Shams Charania<\/a>. “We do want to evaluate what’s best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career.<\/p>\n “He wants to make every season he has left count, and the Lakers understand that, are supportive and want what’s best for him.”<\/p>\n While Paul reached out to Don\u010di\u0107 and the Lakers before releasing that statement, according to ESPN, James reportedly hasn’t been receiving the same kind of advance notice from the organization that he had been privy to for seven-plus years after joining the Lakers in 2018.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n