The Los Angeles Lakers are once again at the center of the NBA conversation - but this time, it’s not because of anything happening on the court. A recent report has pulled back the curtain on some internal tension between Lakers governor Jeanie Buss and franchise cornerstone LeBron James, and with the trade deadline looming, it’s fair to wonder: is something big about to go down in L.A.?
According to a detailed ESPN feature, Buss reportedly considered trading LeBron back in 2022 - a stunning revelation that underscores just how strained things may have become behind the scenes. The report suggests Buss was growing increasingly frustrated with James’ influence within the organization, especially in the wake of the Russell Westbrook trade.
Sources said she felt James wasn’t taking enough accountability for the fallout and was too quick to shift blame elsewhere. That frustration apparently ran deep enough that she even floated the idea of sending him across the hallway to the Clippers.
Let’s pause for a second and take that in: trading LeBron James - not just the face of the franchise, but one of the most influential players in league history - to the Lakers’ crosstown rival. That’s not just a hypothetical; according to the report, it was a real discussion before James signed a new two-year, $104 million contract in 2024 that included a no-trade clause.
And while that no-trade clause makes any move involving James unlikely now, the timing of this report - just three weeks before the February 5 trade deadline - has raised plenty of eyebrows around the league. NBA insider Chris Haynes, speaking on the situation, put it bluntly: “Why now?” When stories like this surface right before the deadline, it usually means something’s brewing.
Haynes isn’t the only one sensing smoke. The ESPN piece paints a picture of a complex, sometimes tense relationship between Buss and James, especially after the Lakers drafted Bronny James in 2024. Buss reportedly felt that LeBron didn’t show enough appreciation for the team’s role in bringing his son into the fold - a move widely seen as a gesture to keep LeBron happy and committed to the franchise.
In response to the growing speculation, Buss issued a statement that seemed aimed at cooling things down. “It’s really not right, given all the great things LeBron has done for the Lakers, that he has to be pulled into my family drama,” she said, via The Athletic. “To say that it wasn’t appreciated is just not true and completely unfair to him.”
Still, the damage may already be done - at least in the court of public opinion. The Lakers have always been a franchise where basketball and big personalities collide, and this latest chapter is no exception. From Magic to Kobe to LeBron, the stars shine bright in L.A., but that also means the spotlight burns hotter when things get messy.
So where does this leave the Lakers? With the trade deadline fast approaching, the front office will need to decide if this is just noise - or the prelude to a major shake-up. Whether it’s a roster move, a shift in leadership dynamics, or something else entirely, one thing’s clear: the Lakers are at a crossroads, and the next few weeks could define not just the rest of their season, but the future of the franchise.
Stay tuned. In L.A., the drama never stays off the court for long.