LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly at odds over the manner in which the organization has disregarded him when making key decisions. It's a public falling out that seemingly began when the franchise traded Anthony Davis for Luka Doncic, with a domino effect leading to the current unease.
For as fair as James' gripes may be, there's an uncomfortable truth that all parties must come to terms with: The baton has already been passed.
James has played seven seasons with the Lakers—his longest consecutive tenure with any franchise over the course of his legendary 22-year career. During that time, he helped Los Angeles recover from the woeful 2010s, win a championship, and make a second Conference Finals appearance.
In the process, James solidified his place as the Lakers' franchise player—even as Anthony Davis took on the lead role in 2024-25.
When the Lakers traded for Doncic, however, it became impossible to ignore the writing on the wall. James had already turned 40, and for as great as he remains, the franchise was committing to a future that didn't depend on him.
It would be a dream scenario for James and Doncic to coexist, but the Lakers are already embracing the fact that there's a new and clear-cut No. 1 in town—even if their tactics are flawed.
Lakers' tactics are questionable, but Luka Doncic is the new No. 1—and there isn't a 1b
The elephant in the room is that the Lakers aren't transitioning to building around a promising young player with untapped potential. They're pivoting to structuring their retooling around a consensus top-five player in the world with more than half a decade of elite-level play under their belt.
The new franchise player isn't on their way to top-tier status. They're a certifiable superstar whose streak of five consecutive All-NBA First Team nods was exclusively broken by an injury that limited their availability.
As such, Los Angeles isn't slowly ushering in a new era—but immediately accepting that the new face of the franchise was revealed in the very moment the trade was announced.
Doncic isn't just a talented player whom the Lakers hope can reach heights he's never come close to. He won the scoring title in 2023-24 while nearly averaging a triple-double, posting absurd averages of 33.9 points, 9.8 assists, and 9.2 rebounds on .487/.382/.786 shooting.
It was the first and only time in NBA history that a player has averaged at least 33.0 points, 9.0 assists, and 9.0 rebounds in a single season.
Doncic isn't just a regular-season player, either. That same year, he led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals—and had to go through Kawhi Leonard, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Anthony Edwards to get there.
He didn't just excel under pressure—he relished the spotlight. Like James in his prime, he led his team in points, rebounds, assists, and steals per game across the postseason—the same way he led Dallas in all four statistical categories during the regular season.
That's the situation at hand, and there's no way to justify viewing it any other way. Los Angeles isn't building for a brighter future with a player they hope can reach a new level. It's transitioning from a 40-year-old living legend to a 26-year-old superstar, and the younger individual is already a top-five player.
The younger superstar has also made more All-NBA First Team appearances and reached the Conference Finals more frequently than James since the Lakers' championship season in 2020—five long years ago.
It's not fair, nor is it easy to discuss considering the magnitude of what James has accomplished during his NBA career. The harsh reality of building a contender in the NBA, however, is that difficult decisions need to be made—and prioritizing Doncic is the easiest of uncomfortable choices.
Los Angeles should've communicated more healthily with James, thus preventing the friction that has inevitably called Doncic's future with the franchise into question. Separate from that discussion, however, is a truth that needs to be readily accepted.
There is no 1a or 1b in Los Angeles. Doncic is the one and only franchise player. For the sake of winning now and beyond 2025-26, it's the only logical way to proceed.