Veteran center said no to Lakers because of LeBron James situation

The Los Angeles Lakers signed center Deandre Ayton on July 6th after he agreed to a buyout with the Portland Trail Blazers. Ayton joined the Lakers on a two-year, $16.2 million contract, a significant discount compared to the $35.55 million he was scheduled to earn in the upcoming season.

Prior to Ayton's availability, the Lakers were expected to sign two centers for a tag-team approach. One of the centers linked to them was veteran Brook Lopez, who played for the Milwaukee Bucks last season.

However, Lopez, originally from the San Fernando Valley, signed with the Los Angeles Clippers instead. According to ESPN reporters, Lopez declined the Lakers (a team he played for in 2017-18) due to uncertainty surrounding LeBron James' future with the franchise.

This uncertainty stems from LeBron James exercising his player option for the 2025-26 season on June 29th. On the same day, his agent, Rich Paul, issued a statement widely interpreted as opening the door for a potential trade request. Multiple reports suggest James and his camp have a strained relationship with the Lakers organization, with one claiming the team "would like to move on" from him.

While James is likely to start the upcoming season with the Lakers, significant skepticism exists about whether he will remain with the team in the coming months.