“Age is just a number,” and #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers is a walking example of it. Or at least, he used to be. These days, the Lakers front office is playing coy, tossing LeBron James a player option like a souvenir while keeping the real prize—a contract extension—out of reach. And then Luka Doncic strolls in, signs for $165 million, and suddenly the whispers turn into a roar. Maybe it’s not loyalty they’re betting on anymore. So, maybe it’s youth, upside, and a future where King James is no longer the crown jewel.
Meanwhile, do you know what’s more interesting? James’s absence from the press conference right after Doncic signed his new deal with LA. Oh boy, this surely sounds alarming. You see, Bron had been present, cheering for the new faces like Anthony Davis and JJ Redick on their debuts. However, when it came to congratulating Luka, he decided to do so over FaceTime, as Mark Stein said, instead of being present in person. Do you really think golf or the latest pilates with Savannah has kept him busy? Or is the water deeper than one can imagine?
Does Luka Doncic’s contract extension upset LeBron James?
Rachel Nichols shared her point of view with Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix. In their latest conversation, Nichols explained what she thinks is going on between Bron and the Lakers. “I think LeBron’s problem in not showing up at the presser—if indeed he was in town and that was a decision he made—has a lot more to do with the Lakers organization than it does with Luka,” Nichols strongly claimed. “We have seen LeBron show up for these press conferences, by the way. So it’s not as if he’s too above it. He showed up for AD’s. He showed up for JJ Redick’s, I believe. This is something he does.”
If you look back in time, you’ll see, LeBron James is usually the biggest cheerleader for the newcomers on the team. However, this time, he didn’t make a social media post even when Deandre Ayton and Jake LaRavia joined LA. Forget that, he didn’t show up for Doncic’s press conference, even when reports claimed he was in town. And these talks are simply fueling the idea that the Akron Hammer is still pretty frustrated with Rob Pelinka & Co.
“I think it has more to do with his frustration with the Lakers. He believes he’s played at a level where he deserves an extension. He shouldn’t be an expiring contract. Two things can be true. He has played at that level. However, he would be 42 years old if the Lakers signed him to an extension. They don’t know what kind of shape—basketball shape—he’s going to be in at that point.”
LeBron James inked a two-year deal worth $104 million with the Lakers in 2024, complete with a $52.6 million player option for the 2025–26 season and a no-trade clause that screams royalty. But let’s stir the pot a little—had the front office offered him an extension beyond that, the numbers could’ve danced even higher.
By the time he turned 42 in 2026, LeBron might have been staring down a fresh two-year extension worth around $106 to $110 million, pushing his total haul with the Lakers to over $210 million. That kind of commitment would have crowned him the aging king with a platinum throne. Instead, the silence says everything, while Luka Doncic walks in and cashes $165 million like he owns the future.
Stars never stay still in the NBA galaxy, and front offices know it. Luka Doncic appeared on the radar 6 months proving that seismic names always shake loose when least expected. So while LeBron James edges toward 42, the Los Angeles Lakers are keeping their options wide open. Because if a Giannis or a Jokic waves hello, loyalty suddenly becomes a negotiable detail.
LeBron’s video call to Luka Doncic
On Saturday, the 26-year-old point guard signed a three-year, $165 million maximum contract extension with the franchise, with a player option in 2028. “This is just the beginning,” he declared via a tweet. The blockbuster trade that brought Luka Doncic to the Lakers set the stage, but the real headline came at the press conference as the Slovenian star returned to the States for his U.S. tour. Luka made it crystal clear he’s chasing what’s ahead, not clinging to the past. His manager, Lara Beth Seager, summed it up to The Athletic—“He’s moved on.” Luka doubled down, declaring, “They can think and say whatever they want. I’m gonna show them who I am.”
Well, Doncic just bagged the extension, and while the Lakers crowned their future, LeBron James felt the crown slip. Though whispers of ‘jealousy’ stirred all summer, LeBron still FaceTimed Doncic to say congrats. Yet the message was loud. As Rob Pelinka said, “If he [LeBron James] had the opportunity to retire as a Laker, that would be fantastic,” but the door beyond next season is already closing fast, maybe!
Feb 19, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) and guard Luka Doncic (77) during the second quarter against the Charlotte Hornets at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images
And yes, the throne in Los Angeles is already wobbling, and LeBron James can feel it with every silent presser and missing extension. Luka Doncic has the spotlight, the money, and the momentum, while LeBron wrestles with a front office that suddenly looks unsure about royalty. His frustration is loud, even if his words aren’t. Looks like the Lakers crowned their future. But in the process, they stirred up the ghost of a legend still on the court.
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