When LeBron James signed with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018, it was a seismic moment-not just for the franchise, but for the NBA. A superstar of his magnitude choosing the Lakers, a historic franchise in desperate need of a revival, was seen by many as a turning point. But behind the scenes, the relationship between James and Lakers governor Jeanie Buss has had more layers than most fans realized.
This week, Buss addressed comments that surfaced in a recent ESPN report, pushing back against the idea that she ever failed to appreciate what James has brought to the organization. “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,” Buss said, via The Athletic. “To say that it wasn’t appreciated is just not true and completely unfair to him.”
That’s a strong statement-and one that comes in response to a report detailing years of tension between the Lakers' leadership and James’ camp. According to team sources cited in the report, Buss had long harbored concerns about the level of influence James and Klutch Sports-his agency, which also represents Anthony Davis-wielded within the franchise.
The friction reportedly began early. While Buss was outwardly thrilled at landing a generational talent in James, internally, there was discomfort with the perception that LeBron had chosen the Lakers, rather than the Lakers recruiting and landing him. That distinction may sound minor to outsiders, but in the world of NBA front offices and ownership pride, it matters.
Sources close to the team described Buss as privately frustrated with what she saw as LeBron’s “outsized ego” and the control he and Klutch Sports exerted over key decisions. That influence, fair or not, became a flashpoint-especially when the Lakers executed the trade for Russell Westbrook, a move that ultimately backfired in spectacular fashion.
The Westbrook trade marked a low point in the Buss-LeBron relationship. According to the report, Buss questioned James’ accountability in the aftermath, and there were even internal discussions about not offering him a contract extension in 2022. At one point, the idea of trading James altogether was floated, with the LA Clippers mentioned as a potential destination.
That’s a jaw-dropping revelation, even in hindsight. We’re talking about a player who delivered the franchise’s 17th championship in 2020, who’s been the face of the team through multiple roster overhauls, and who-despite his age-continues to perform at an elite level. But influence and gratitude are two different currencies in the NBA, and Buss reportedly felt that James wasn’t showing enough of the latter, especially after the Lakers drafted his son, Bronny, in 2024.
It’s worth noting that any trade involving James would’ve been complicated by his no-trade clause, which kicked in by 2024. Still, the fact that such a move was even considered speaks volumes about how strained things became behind the scenes.
Buss has never shied away from making bold decisions. She’s reshaped the Lakers' front office, trimmed her inner circle, and made moves that defied even her late father Jerry Buss’s legacy-like reportedly considering a $10 billion sale of the franchise. But her dynamic with LeBron James has clearly been one of the more complex chapters in her stewardship.
Now, with the public spotlight back on their relationship, Buss is looking to set the record straight. Whether her comments this week are enough to smooth over the narrative-or the reality-remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: the relationship between a franchise icon and the person steering the ship has never been as simple as banners and box scores.