While LeBron James’ future with the Los Angeles Lakers remains murky, he made sure to show his love for teammate Luka Dončić after the Slovenian extended his contract with the club.
According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, James got on a video call with Dončić right after the 26-year-old signed his three-year, $165 million extension. Throughout the years, both players have expressed their admiration for each other and in February, the duo united after a blockbuster trade between the Laker and the Dallas Mavericks.
The two main questions after the acquisition were whether Dončić was going to sign an extension, and how he and James would fit together.
While they did not dominate their postseason play, falling to Minnesota in the first round, the Lakers did go 16-7 in the regular season when the duo played together and earned the third seed in the Western Conference.
After they were eliminated, James made it clear he wanted to see Dončić in the purple and gold long term.
“Laker fans (expletive) love him here,” James told ESPN. “L.A. has accepted him. We love him as a teammate, as a brother. But ultimately, he’s got to make a decision for him. (Expletive), I ain’t going to be around much longer.”
While James may have been referencing his future retirement with that quote, the last couple of months put his direct future with the Lakers up in the air.
In late June, the 40-year-old opted into his $52.6 million player option for next year, but at the same time, his agent Rich Paul released a somewhat cryptic statement about James’ future and that of the Lakers with Dončić.
“LeBron wants to compete for a championship,” Paul told ESPN. “He knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all. We are very appreciative of the partnership that we’ve had for eight years with Jeanie (Buss) and Rob (Pelinka) and consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career.
“We understand the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future. We do want to evaluate what’s best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career. He wants to make every season he has left count, and the Lakers understand that, are supportive and want what’s best for him.”
Since he opted into his deal and that statement was released, James hasn’t been present for all team activities. Most recently, when the Lakers hosted a press conference for Dončić after the extension was signed, James “was not among the half-dozen teammates to attend,” according to McMenamin.
