Change is never easy, especially when it involves one of the greatest players in NBA history. But in Los Angeles, change is already underway.
The Lakers‘ acquisition of Luka Doncic has set a clear direction for the franchise’s future, and while LeBron James is still an elite talent, the team is signaling it’s time to shift the spotlight.
Since joining the Lakers in 2018, LeBron has redefined basketball in L.A., delivering a championship in 2020 and helping reestablish the franchise’s championship pedigree.
But with the 40-year-old now preparing for his 23rd NBA season, a new reality is setting in.
Even though LeBron posted outstanding numbers last season, 24.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 7.8 rebounds over 70 games, his role as the face of the franchise appears to be winding down. According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, this offseason offered a subtle, but unmistakable message from Lakers management.
Lakers decline to plan beyond 2025 as Luka era begins
While LeBron still commands attention on and off the court, Shelburne said the Lakers made a quiet but powerful statement by not initiating long-term extension talks with their veteran superstar.
“The fact that the Lakers did not discuss a one in one, or a two in one, or a contract beyond this year with him. They just let him sit back and pick up his option or decline his option, that tells you a lot,” Shelburne said on ESPN.
LeBron has since exercised his $52.6 million player option for the 2025 season. At 40, earning that kind of salary is a testament to his enduring value. Still, the lack of future commitment suggests a passing of the baton, not just from an age perspective, but from a strategic one.
“That means that it’s not in his control with the Los Angeles Lakers. That was a statement, even though they didn’t make a statement,” Shelburne added.
Her ESPN colleague Brian Windhorst echoed the sentiment, pointing out that this moment represents a major shift in LeBron‘s legendary career.
“For the first time in 23 years, he’s not the franchise player,” Windhorst said. “From the day he walked into the NBA, he’s been the franchise player. Even in Miami, when Dwyane Wade was the incumbent star. You can ask UD, LeBron was their franchise player.”
That transition doesn’t mean LeBron is finished. Quite the opposite. He was named to the All-NBA Second Team last season and continues to be a box-office draw and a stat-sheet stuffer. But when it comes to front-office priorities and the team’s future, Doncic is now center stage.
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