After eight consecutive NBA Finals appearances, LeBron James chose to go west. At the top of his game, still holding the crown of best player in the league, James left the Cleveland Cavaliers to join the Los Angeles Lakers. That decision continues to go underappreciated in Los Angeles.
Baxter Holmes of ESPN delivered an inside look at the events that led to Mark Walter becoming the Lakers' new majority owner. It was in there that surprising reports surfaced regarding how the relationship between James and Jeanie Buss evolved over the years.
Holmes mentioned that Buss had developed a reputation of turning on several people closer to her and the franchise over the years. That included LeBron.
Holmes wrote, "She didn't like that James was considered a savior for a floundering franchise when he arrived in 2018 and that it was he who chose the Lakers rather than the team's leadership receiving praise for landing him."
Strained Lakers relationships could open door for LeBron’s Cleveland return
There is just something incredibly silly about the above sentiment, if it is true. The Lakers were in the midst of their worst stretch in franchise history when LeBron arrived. They turned things around quickly and won a championship within two seasons of him being there.
He's not the 'savior' though.
Unfortunately, the best player on the planet joining and reviving a franchise amid their longest playoff drought in franchise history has few other interpretations than the one most landed on. It's hard to be a revisionist about that one.
Even so, Holmes mentioned there were points where things got bad enough that not extending James' contract earlier in his time there or possibly trading LeBron was on the table. It never happened, but that leads us all to where we are today.
The all-time great will hit unrestricted free agency in 2026 upon the expiration of his $52.6 million max deal for 2025-26. The Cavaliers are still holding tight as the most logical destination for James beyond the Lakers. The reunion is something Clevelanders have been eyeing for a while.
Earlier this month, Rich Paul's comments made things awkward for James in Los Angeles. Now, the new ESPN report paints a picture of two sides getting ready to head in different directions.
James still has more basketball left in the tank, despite his age. If the Lakers aren't going to appreciate that fact, the Cavaliers certainly can.