Shaquille O'Neal believes the Lakers' split with LeBron James was simply a business decision, adding that Luka Doncic's arrival showed the franchise was ready to start over.
LeBron James' decision to leave the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason has sparked plenty of discussion, but Shaquille O'Neal believes the reasoning behind the split was relatively straightforward.
James informed the Lakers at the beginning of free agency that he would not return before eventually signing with the Philadelphia 76ers, ending his eight-year run in Los Angeles.
His departure came as the Lakers significantly reshaped their roster around Luka Doncic, moving on from several players from last season's team and beginning a new chapter without James.
While there has been speculation that James felt the Lakers were ready to move on from him and did not fully appreciate what he had accomplished with the franchise, O'Neal viewed the situation simply as part of the NBA business.
"No, it's what we call the business of basketball," O'Neal told Heavy.com. "When you get older, and you're still playing at a high level, you're still trying to demand high money; sometimes as a franchise you have to say, 'Do I want to pay this guy this much money for the next two years, or do I wanna go get younger?'"
Shaq says Luka Doncic move signaled Lakers' plans
For O'Neal, the Lakers' long-term direction became apparent when they acquired Doncic.
"I knew when they brought in Luka Doncic, they were looking to start over," the Lakers legend added.
Doncic has since become the centerpiece of Los Angeles' plans, with the organization using the offseason to reshape the roster around the 27-year-old superstar.
James, meanwhile, chose a different path by joining Philadelphia as he continues to pursue another championship in the final stages of his career.
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