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Los Angeles Lakers owner Jeanie Buss was doubtful on LeBron James’ future as he enters free agency, as they shift to new star Luka Doncic. <\/p>\n
Despite a mostly successful past eight seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers<\/a>, superstar LeBron James\u2019<\/a> tenure with the franchise appears to be coming to an end, at least according to team owner Jeanie Buss, and multiple reports over the past few months.<\/p>\n Most recently, in an interview with CNBC<\/a>, Buss, who was previously in hot water for her reported relationship with James, per Baxter Holmes of ESPN<\/a>, said she said the league\u2019s all-time leading scorer has not given any indication of returning to the Lakers.<\/p>\n \u201cNever say never, but you know, he certainly hasn\u2019t given an indication,\u201d she said. \u201cHe\u2019s earned the right to decide how his career will go, and you know, he continues to impress.\u201d<\/p>\n Jeanie Buss sounded \u2018doubtful\u2019 that LeBron would return to the Lakers next season \ud83d\ude2c, per @sherman4949<\/a> <\/p>\n \u201cNever say never, but you know, he certainly hasn\u2019t given an indication. He\u2019s earned the right to decide how his career will go, and you know, he continues to impress.\u201d<\/p>\n (Via <\/p>\n Despite James remaining noncommittal about his Lakers future, general manager Rob Pelinka expressed in the past<\/a> that the team wants him to end his career and retire in Los Angeles, but as time has gone on, that no longer appears to be in the cards.<\/p>\n Jeanie Buss on LeBron James\u2019 Lakers Future<\/p>\n As mentioned, while there was previously no reporting on any disdain between Buss and the superstar, that changed when Holmes previously reported that the owner wasn\u2019t happy with the lack of appreciation<\/a> James gave to the team after they picked his son, Bronny James<\/a>, in the 2024 NBA<\/a> Draft.<\/p>\n Holmes also reported that Buss entertained the idea of the Lakers trading James to their cross-town rival, the Los Angeles Clippers<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Jeanie Buss was reportedly so frustrated with LeBron James that she privately considered not re-signing\u2014or even trading\u2014him in 2022, including floating a deal to the Clippers, per @Baxter<\/a> <\/p>\n She also had concerns about LeBron\u2019s ego and Klutch Sports\u2019 influence over the Lakers. \ud83d\ude33 <\/p>\n In responding to questions about his relationship with Buss, James shot down any speculation on animosity, but also said, \u2018I don\u2019t really care about the reports, to be honest,\u2019 adding, \u2018I don\u2019t care about an article. I don\u2019t care how somebody feels about me,\u2019 according to ESPN.<\/a><\/p>\n However, while any rumors on the relationship between James and Buss have died down a bit amid the changing of the guard in terms of team ownership, that didn\u2019t stop the matriarch of the team from commenting on James\u2019 Lakers future.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cBuss said she\u2019d leave James\u2019 future with the Lakers to James,\u201d Alex Sherman, who held the interview with Buss, said about her comments. \u201cStill, she sounded doubtful that he would return to the team next season, either because he would retire or because he would choose to play elsewhere.\u201d<\/p>\n Buss went on to mention that the team\u2019s future is centered around the 26-year-old Luka Doncic<\/a>, rather than the 41-year-old James.<\/p>\n \u201cThe partnership will give us the stability to continue to move forward as we build towards a team around Luka Don\u010di\u0107,\u201d she added. \u201cWe couldn\u2019t be more proud that he is a Laker.\u201d<\/p>\n Lakers Urged To \u2018Move On\u2019 From LeBron James<\/p>\n Despite numerous questions about his next plans, James has yet to comment<\/a> about his future with the Lakers, moving to another team, or entering retirement.<\/p>\n However, rumors linking James back<\/a> to the Cleveland Cavaliers<\/a> have heated up over the past few weeks, and at the same time, the Lakers look to be moving on from the oldest player in the league as he enters free agency this summer.<\/p>\n Writing for ESPN, Dave McMenamin talked<\/a> with an unnamed Eastern Conference executive, who suggested the Lakers to \u2018move off\u2019 James.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe first thing they have to do is move off LeBron,\u201d he told ESPN. \u201cLet him walk and use the space to retool around Luka. Keeping Reaves<\/a> is critical. [Doncic] plays best with another ball handler\/creator like with Kyrie [Irving<\/a>] and [Jalen] Brunson<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n \ud83d\udea8 One Eastern Conference executive believes the Lakers should move on from LeBron James this summer to focus on Luka Doncic, per @mcten<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThe first thing they have to do is move off LeBron,\u201d an Eastern Conference front office executive told ESPN. \u201cLet him walk and use the space <\/p>\n The executive added that the team needs more wing defenders<\/a>, and bringing back James on anything more than a minimum deal likely wouldn\u2019t be a good idea.<\/p>\n However, in his article, McMenamin resurfaced comments from Pelinka<\/a> over the summer saying Los Angeles would be happy if he retired with the team. At the time, more than six months ago, that seemed somewhat realistic, but right now, it doesn\u2019t feel like a likely outcome.<\/p>\n At the same time James looks to be on his way out, the Lakers are preparing to make a push for Giannis Antetokounmpo<\/a> this summer in a massive blockbuster trade with the cap space<\/a> they\u2019ll have freed up.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tEli Gregorski<\/a> is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy Sports. He has years of sports writing experience covering the NBA, NFL, college football and basketball, international soccer, and Formula One. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder, where he was the assistant sports editor for the award-winning CU Independent student publication. More about Eli Gregorski<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tMore Heavy on Lakers\n\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\tLoading more stories\n\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t