The Los Angeles Lakers returned to notoriety when the team signed superstar LeBron James in free agency ahead of the 2018-19 NBA season. While that partnership turned out well initially — with James leading the team to a championship in his second season — Lakers owner Jeanie Buss reportedly began to sour on James, per ESPN’s Baxter Holmes.
That tidbit was revealed as part of a much larger piece on the Buss’ family drama and how it led to the team being sold to Mark Walter. While there are plenty of juicy revelations in the article, Buss’ relationship with James will likely draw the most attention.
Buss’ opinion of James reportedly started to change after the Lakers traded for Russell Westbrook in 2021. The move, which the team made to make James happy, backfired. Westbook’s fit on the Lakers was awkward, and the team failed to make the playoffs after acquiring the veteran. Buss reportedly was frustrated with the way James washed his hands of the deal and blamed others after it failed, per ESPN.
Buss reportedly even considered trading James at one point — with the Los Angeles Clippers being the most likely destination. That didn’t happen, and James inserted a no-trade clause into his 2024 extension, making a deal impossible now unless James approves it.
The relationship further soured after the Lakers drafted James’ son, Bronny, in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft. Buss reportedly felt LeBron should have been more grateful the team picked his son in the draft, per ESPN.
“And when the Lakers drafted James’ son, Bronny, with the 55th pick in the 2024 draft, Jeanie privately remarked that James should be grateful for such a gesture, but she felt that he wasn’t, people close to the team told ESPN.”
Bronny, 21, has been used in a reserve role in the NBA. He’s averaged 1.9 points in 51 career games.
If those reports are true, Buss and James could be heading for a clean break in the offseason. James’ contract is up at the end of the season, allowing the 41-year-old to easily leave the team in the offseason. James has still performed well this season and has helped the Lakers to a 26-16 start. If he wants to keep playing, James could almost certainly find a job with another franchise.
But it’s unclear whether James will do that. The 23-year veteran has not addressed his future in the NBA past the 2025-26 season.
If James does come back for one more year, it’s possible he once again considers the Lakers. But if Wednesday’s report is accurate, James’ return to Los Angeles could be dependent on whether Buss, who remains the team’s governor and minority owner, can still co-exist with the superstar.
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