What went wrong between LeBron James and the Lakers?

This needed to happen. 

LeBron James is returning for his unprecedented 24th NBA season, but not with the Lakers, with whom he spent the last eight seasons of his career, carrying them to a championship in 2020. 

This may seem surprising.

But behind the scenes, tensions had been building.

James wears his emotions on his sleeve. He often describes himself as a big kid who loves joking. You could tell he wasn’t happy. 

The well was poisoned when the Lakers made the biggest trade in NBA history without consulting him, acquiring Luka Doncic in exchange for Anthony Davis in February 2025.

The issue wasn’t that the Lakers dealt Davis, James’ good friend whom he had played alongside for 5 ¹/₂ seasons. The issue was that his team was turned upside down without his knowledge.

Without his consent.

Until then, James had his fingerprints on everything. He was the sun. Teams deferred to his will. Now a major decision had been made without him, signaling a drastic shift in the organization’s priorities.

James was a good soldier. Doncic was too. Even though they were blindsided, they viewed playing together as an opportunity.

Doncic told The Post in January that he had been studying how James takes care of his body and prepares for games. James told The Post, “I just love the kid,” adding, “I’m happy to be a small part of his journey. Hopefully, he can take something from me.”

But throughout the season, it was obvious James and the Lakers were heading in different directions. There were simmering undercurrents of strain and unease.

Sometimes the signs were small.

When James missed the first 14 games of the season because of sciatica, he wasn’t as animated as usual when he cheered on the Lakers from the bench.

And while James and Davis used to chat in the locker room after games about everything ranging from football to their favorite wines, James and Doncic never quite developed that ease of rapport.

Other times, the signs were obvious.

There are very few moments in James’ career when he was as uncomfortable as when he stood by his locker in January and answered questions about his relationship with Lakers governor Jeanie Buss.

He was put in that position after a bombshell ESPN story came out alleging that Buss “privately mused” about trading him in 2022 and “begrudgingly” offered him a contract extension in 2024. She was allegedly frustrated over his outsized influence on the team, his lack of appreciation after LA drafted his son, Bronny, and his failure to take enough accountability for the Russell Westbrook disaster.

How did James view his relationship with Buss?

“I thought it was good,” he said. “But somebody could see it another way. So, it’s always two sides of the coin.”

Even though James claimed he didn’t pay attention to reports and publicly brushed off that moment as unimportant, you could tell it was monumental.

Why did he need this drama?

Especially after he ended the Lakers’ six-year playoff drought. After he carried them to their first championship in 10 years. After he spent the longest consecutive stretch of his career with the franchise.

Things only got more awkward for James as the season progressed.

After the Lakers went on a three-game winning streak at the top of March while James was sidelined because of left foot arthritis and a right hip contusion, the narrative on national sports shows became that the Lakers were better without him.

When James returned, he was asked to become the team’s third offensive option behind Doncic and Austin Reaves.

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James embraced the role. He thrived in it. It led to the Lakers going on a 16-2 winning streak and being considered championship contenders before Doncic and Reaves suffered injuries in April.

But whenever James was asked about being the team’s third option, it was clear a player who’s arguably the greatest of all-time felt bottled up. He felt underappreciated. He felt disrespected.

“It is a sacrifice,” James said in March. “I know what I’m capable of still doing as an individual. But what’s important for this team, I’m able to adapt to.”

The problem was clear.

James was still too good. The 41-year-old could’ve been the first option for many teams. But on the Lakers, in the twilight of his career when he was playing unprecedentedly well for someone his age, instead of receiving applause he was being relegated to the corner.

That point was only reinforced after Doncic and Reaves were sidelined as the Lakers opened their first-round playoff series against the Rockets. All of a sudden, James was called upon to transform into a superstar. No one thought the Lakers had a chance. He carried them to a 3-0 series lead and a second-round date against the Thunder.

After the Lakers were swept out of that series without Doncic, James was noncommittal about his future.

And while both Buss and Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka said they’d love for James to retire with the franchise, their statements always seemed more perfunctory than heartfelt.

An example?

During Pelinka’s exit interview in May, here’s what he had to say about James: “Of course, any team, including ours, would love to have LeBron James on their roster.”

Compare that to what he said about Reaves, who was on the verge of turning down his $14.9 million player option to become a free agent: “Both sides have made it abundantly clear that we want to work something out where he continues his prolific career here.”

It was obvious James needed to go.

The relationship between James and the Lakers had run its course. The end wasn’t sour. It wasn’t bitter. It wasn’t hateful.

The two sides simply weren’t getting what they needed from one another. The Lakers are focused on their future. James is firmly planted in the now, wanting to savor every moment before his career is in the rearview mirror.

It’s crazy that at this point in his career, James is starting over with new teammates and a new coach. It’s crazy that he’s leaving money on the table (potentially a $25-$35 million contract with the Lakers to likely accept much less with another team), something he has been loathe to do his entire career. It’s crazy that he’s walking away from arguably his best chance to compete for his fifth title alongside Doncic.

But James is choosing happiness.

He simply wasn’t his joyful self anymore with the Lakers. At the end of his career, they weren’t celebrating him in the same way they put Kobe Bryant on a pedestal after he spent his entire career in LA. The franchise had moved on. They needed to with the 27-year-old Doncic foaming at the mouth for his first title.

The writing was on the wall.

It’s a chapter that will be remembered fondly by both parties. James put the Lakers back on the map. The Lakers helped him win his fourth championship, erasing the narrative that his eight straight Finals appearances were largely due to the Eastern Conference being easier.

It was beautiful while it lasted.

Los Angeles is where James became the league’s leading scorer. It’s where he proved to the world that he still has the edge over Father Time.

But things had soured.

And at this point in his career, James wants his final note to be sweet.