LeBron James chose to stay with the Los Angeles Lakers before the free agency frenzy began. That decision was calculated. For all the points throughout the summer when the conversations about his desire to still be wearing purple and gold have been loud, it is important to remember that.
Jared Greenberg made this point clear on an appearance with Yahoo! Sports. When speaking on the Good Word with Goodwill podcast, the show's guest wanted everyone to truly soak up what James returning to the Lakers meant.
Greenberg said, "LeBron had the opportunity this summer to be a free agent and sign wherever he wanted. ... He didn't want to sign for the minimum. He did not want to give away his no-trade clause. ... Don't then be confused as to why he's still a Laker."
The NBATV personality explained Los Angeles was the only place for James to get his bag and push for a championship. It does not make sense for LeBron to demand relocating when another team would need to gut their roster to acquire the all-time great and his salary number.
Los Angeles allows LeBron to pursue all major goals at late stage of his career
Everyone should be familiar with the statement Rich Paul, James' agent, made to Shams Charania when LeBron picked up his option for 2025-26. The Lakers superstar wants to compete for championships in the final years of his career.
Having Luka Doncic as a running mate in Los Angeles offers that opportunity to James. This much was also reassured by Greenberg.
How many teams, that are reasonable destinations for James via trade, would allow him to definitively be the second-best player on his team? That is the case with the Lakers and that should be a major positive for LeBron's ambitions.
Without leaving major money on the table, James would not have been able to find himself a much better situation than the one Los Angeles provides. Perhaps there is a desire to see Rob Pelinka more aggressive than he has been, but the summer which the Lakers have enjoyed has not been lackluster.
The roster should be positioned in a way where the Lakers can comfortably cling to a strong playoff position until February comes around. The strengths and weaknesses can be assessed until then, allowing for Pelinka to make a calculated strike.
The Lakers may not be built up to the caliber of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Perhaps there is some work to be done to equalize them with squads such as the Denver Nuggets or Houston Rockets too. However, that window of opportunity remains. That should offer James comfort in knowing all the desirables of his remaining playing days can be properly satisfied.