A new report from ESPN may have revealed some telling insight about the behind-the-scenes dynamics of the Los Angeles Lakers in the wake of the Luka Doncic trade.
ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne and Brian Windhorst reported that the Lakers have been subtly signaling a “shift” in the face of the franchise from LeBron James to Doncic since February, when the blockbuster trade went down. The report details a few pieces of evidence for this rumored transition, such as Lakers GM Rob Pelinka immediately trying to acquire a true center after the Doncic deal (James had been asking for a center for years) and James not getting offered a contract extension.
But, the most revealing tidbit might be how the Lakers communicated with their two franchise stars prior to selling the team to Mark Walter last month.
Shelburne and Windhorst wrote:
“When the Buss family agreed to sell a majority stake in the franchise to Mark Walter on June 18, Doncic was given a heads-up and notably posted a congratulations on social media afterward. James was not given the same notice and did not post any public acknowledgement afterward.”
The fact that the Lakers notified Doncic and not James could be coincidental, but more likely feels intentional.
Shelburne and Windhorst also reported that select members of the Lakers’ franchise (Pelinka and coach JJ Redick) met with Doncic and his manager for a work dinner to discuss team strategies and long-term goals back in May; James was notably not in attendance, and it isn’t clear whether he was invited.
Based on these new morsels of evidence, it would seem as though the Lakers are slowly phasing out James and now grooming Doncic to become the new face of the franchise. If the city of L.A. isn’t big enough for two bonafide superstars, it appears the Lakers are content with prioritizing their younger talent over an aging great who may have one foot out the door this offseason.
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