LeBron James’ relationship with Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers is still the subject of scrutiny, especially given his public silence over Doncic’s new contract extension.
In an appearance on ESPN’s “First Take” Monday, Shams Charania reported that James is “supportive” of the Lakers’ actions regarding Doncic. However, they do not necessarily make his own future with the team any clearer.
“LeBron James is supportive, he’s understanding where this Lakers organization is going toward,” Charania said, via Brad Crawford of CBS Sports. “It’s going toward Luka Doncic. So, LeBron James himself has to make some decisions because, ‘how long do I have to play?’ That’s the biggest one of all. Is this the last year of his career, or does he have a couple of more years left?”
James muddied the waters when he was one of a small number of Lakers players not to make an appearance at the press conference announcing Doncic’s extension. It was later revealed that he did FaceTime Doncic to congratulate him on the new deal.
The Lakers are clearly pivoting toward a future where Doncic, not James, is the franchise centerpiece. That has led to speculation that James might actually prefer to end his career with a different franchise. One complicating factor is that no one knows how much longer the 40-year-old intends to play.
Doncic signed a new three-year, $165 million contract extension that ensures he will remain with the Lakers for the foreseeable future. That future will likely see him stick around long after James is gone.
