07-06-2026, 09:23 AM
One Lakers team source believes the franchise, which for decades was known for catering to its stars, didn't do enough for James. "Honestly, I don't know if we did enough to acknowledge the sacrifices he made in being willing to give the keys over to Luka and AR this year," the staffer conceded. "Of course, he has a big ego, and people can say what they want about that. But he's also the No. 1 scorer in the history of basketball and he really tried to do what was best for the team to win." Customized pillows and blankets were designed and presented to Reaves. Steaks were ordered in. His favorite country music was played. Soon afterward, he agreed to a new four-year, $185 million deal. LeBron James didn't want any of that. After the season, sources close to James said the most important factor in him re-signing would be how the Lakers approached him. He might have been willing to take a pay cut from the $52.6 million he'd made the season before, sources said, if the Lakers explained how they planned to reallocate the money. They never did, and James never made himself available to meet. He had been a priority enough times in his career to know when he wasn't one. Even if they offered $10 million to $15 million more than any other team, James could still see their offer as a pay cut if another team was offering the most it was allowed to offer him, one team source explained. It was the curse of incumbency. How could they present that to James without him taking it as a sign of disrespect? For weeks they held internal discussions on the matter. Still, despite their deliberations, James saw through it. Like he has so often done on the court, he read the play before it happened. He broke up with the Lakers before they could break up with him.
ESPN
ESPN