The Los Angeles Lakers discovered themselves on the focus on Wednesday.
An ESPN story on the record-breaking $10 billion sale of the franchise by the Buss household to Mark Walter and his possession group detailed how infighting among the many Buss household led to the sale. The story additionally included reporting about points within the relationship between Jeanie Buss and LeBron James, chronicling frustrations lately that the previous proprietor and present governor had with James and his longtime agent, Klutch Sports activities CEO Wealthy Paul.
Among the many objects that irked Buss, in keeping with the story, had been James’ ego and the affect that he and Klutch had inside the franchise, an affect that was outsized partially as a result of the company additionally represented star ahead Anthony Davis.
In a press release to The Athletic’s Sam Amick, Buss mentioned it was unlucky that her star participant was pulled into the story.
“It’s actually not proper, given all the good issues LeBron has executed for the Lakers, that he must be pulled into my household drama,” Buss instructed Amick. “To say that it wasn’t appreciated is simply not true and utterly unfair to him.”
Lakers governor Jeanie Buss issued this assertion to @TheAthletic in response to at present’s ESPN story, which incorporates reporting about her relationship with LeBron James.
“It’s actually not proper, given all the good issues LeBron has executed for the Lakers, that he must be pulled…
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) January 21, 2026
Nonetheless, it’s no secret that the connection has typically been strained lately.
Whereas James and Davis led the Lakers to the bubble title in 2020, there was nonetheless no scarcity of disappointment for the group earlier than and after that peak second. The difficult dynamics between James/Paul and the Lakers have resurfaced infrequently, together with a gathering amongst all events in 2022 that was meant to clear the air. What’s extra, James’ penchant for sharing his discontent concerning the Lakers’ state of affairs — on the report and thru different media means — has lengthy been recognized to be a degree of frustration for Buss.
The arrival of Luka Dončić in early February 2025 modified the facility dynamics surrounding the Lakers, as Davis was despatched to the Mavericks within the deal. And since Dončić is just not represented by Klutch, however by Invoice Duffy of WME, that was seen by Lakers officers as a welcome decentralization of affect when it got here to their prime two co-stars. The brand new actuality between James and the Lakers was on full show final summer season, when — as The Athletic reported on the time — he was not given an extension provide earlier than deciding to select up his participant choice for this season.
After the Lakers’ sale was finalized within the offseason, Buss was named the workforce’s governor and is predicted to retain that title for no less than 5 seasons. In November, she fired two brothers with high-ranking roles, Joey (vp of analysis and growth) and Jesse (assistant normal supervisor). She additionally fired her brothers Jim and Johnny, in addition to her sister Janie.
In recent times, the Lakers have struggled mapping out a long-term technique past their acquisition of Dončić. Since profitable that 2020 NBA championship, they rank thirteenth in win proportion. They’ve used two first-round draft picks on gamers who’re both now not on the workforce (Jalen Hood-Schifino) or on the workforce however out of the rotation (Dalton Knecht). They used a second-round choose on James’ oldest son, Bronny, who is just not a contributor, and have been eradicated from the primary spherical of the playoffs in three of their final 4 appearances.
LeBron James missed the primary 14 video games of this season, his record-setting twenty third within the NBA, throughout which the Lakers went 10-4 and had the league’s fifth-best report. Since Nov. 18, when James made his season debut, the Lakers are 16-12 and are tied for the ninth-best mark within the league over that span. Regardless of being tied for the NBA’s sixth-best report, the Lakers entered Wednesday ranked seventeenth in total internet ranking (minus-0.4), in keeping with NBA.com.
A key factor of the Lakers’ efficiency this season has been the inconsistency of their star trio: James, Dončić and Austin Reaves, the latter of whom hasn’t performed since a 119-96 loss to the Houston Rockets on Christmas Day. When these three gamers have shared the court docket this season, the Lakers have a internet ranking of minus-9.8 in 140 minutes. That determine would rank twenty ninth amongst all groups over a full season.
In latest weeks, Paul has made headlines by suggesting a hypothetical commerce wherein the Lakers may purchase Memphis Grizzlies large man and 2023 Defensive Participant of the 12 months Jaren Jackson Jr. by buying and selling Reaves. That led James to publicly state that Paul speaks just for himself on such issues. The 41-year-old James, who’s on a participant choice price $52.6 million this season, has not addressed his long-term future.
— The Athletic’s Sam Amick contributed to this story.
