Udonis Haslem said the Lakers don’t have a championship roster and suggested LeBron James should consider returning to Miami.
The Los Angeles Lakers have added wing Jake LaRavia and center Deandre Ayton this offseason—but according to Miami Heat legend and Vice President of Basketball Development Udonis Haslem, that’s far from enough to compete for the 2026 NBA championship.
“I don’t give a damn who they bring to LA. That is not a championship roster right now with the LA Lakers,” Haslem stated on NBA TV. “If LeBron James wants to put himself in the championship situation, it has to be another opportunity out there that he needs to look for.”
Haslem, a three-time NBA champion, then hinted at a possible return to Miami—where LeBron James won titles in 2012 and 2013 and played from 2010 to 2014.
“I do know a place where he is welcomed, and he will always be welcomed,” Haslem noted. “Just to put that out there.”
Meanwhile, reports suggest that the Lakers have shifted their long-term focus toward Luka Doncic, while LeBron recently opted into his $52.6 million player option for the 2025–26 season.
According to ESPN insider Shams Charania, the 40-year-old LeBron is growing concerned that the LA Lakers are prioritizing the future over competing right now.
“He feels clearly that the Lakers are more in a futuristic mindset,” Charania said on Sirius XM NBA Radio.
“Much of the tension appears to stem from the Lakers’ desire to keep their salary-cap sheet as clear as possible starting next summer, allowing them to find Doncic’s future partner either in free agency or via trade, when they’ll have access to use first-round picks in 2026, 2031 and 2033 for a single trade,” Dan Woike of The Athletic added.
Charania also mentioned that “hard conversations” are expected between LeBron and the Lakers in the coming months. Four teams have reportedly shown interest in trading for James and have contacted his agent, Rich Paul.
Following LeBron’s opt-in, Paul issued a strong statement emphasizing that James wants to be in a competitive environment—suggesting the Lakers must upgrade the roster to meet his standards.
