For the first time since his arrival in 2018, LeBron James has not been the main protagonist of the Los Angeles Lakers this summer with everything revolving around Luka Doncic. The Los Angeles franchise even decided not to offer a contract extension to the future NBA Hall of Famer which indicates that this will be his last season with the team from the City of Angels before becoming a free agent in the summer of 2026.
That doesn’t mean that the veteran star has lost sway in the locker room, as at 40 years old, LeBron James is still one of the league’s best players. This passing of the baton isn’t surprising either, as Luka Doncic is younger and just signed a long-term contract with the Lakers.
From now on, the focus of the franchise’s sporting decisions will be on the Slovenian point guard. NBA legend Charles Barkley also weighed in on this topic, analyzing the direction the Lakers are taking.
The Lakers belong to Luka Doncic
“LeBron is going to have to step aside at some point. It is what it is. Even though he’s been there and he’s still putting up good numbers, the team hasn’t had success in probably four years. It’s probably Luka’s team now. You don’t sign or trade for Luka Doncic, give him all that money, and it’s not going to be his team,” Charles Barkley said on ‘The Better Angle’.
LeBron James also knows that at some point he’ll have to step aside and has supported the decisions the Lakers made this summer. The veteran understands what Doncic represents for both the Los Angeles franchise and the league. The front office is focused on strengthening the roster in which LeBron James will continue to be a key player in the Lakers’ title aspirations alongside Luka Doncic.
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