Update: It turns out Lakers DID tell LeBron they were selling the team

An update clarifies that LeBron James was notified about the sale of the Los Angeles Lakers before the public announcement, correcting the original report.

The original story examined the relationship between LeBron James and the Lakers. While evidence points to a positive relationship, including James opting into his contract for the 2025-26 season after seven years and a championship with the team, his agent Rich Paul made confusing comments about James prioritizing winning now over the future. This sparked speculation about a potential future trade request, which Paul explicitly denied.

From the Lakers' perspective, they are not pursuing a dual timeline strategy like Golden State. However, the age difference between the 26-year-old Luka Dončić and the 40-year-old James suggests the franchise views Dončić as its long-term cornerstone.

The report highlighted an example of this potential shift in priorities: ESPN's Ramona Shelburne reported that when the Buss family agreed to sell a majority stake in the Lakers on June 18th, Dončić was given advance notice and publicly congratulated the new ownership, while James reportedly found out when the public did and made no public acknowledgement.

LeBron James has not yet commented on the matter. The story suggested that if accurate, not informing James about the sale beforehand could indicate he is no longer as central to the Lakers' inner circle as he once was, and that failing to extend him the same courtesy given to Dončić seemed like a petty action.