There’s never a dull moment in Lakerland, and this week, the drama has shifted from the hardwood to the front office. According to reports, there was internal tension between Lakers governor Jeanie Buss and LeBron James-specifically surrounding the team’s decision to draft Bronny James in 2024. But Buss was quick to shoot down any notion that she felt LeBron lacked appreciation for the move.
“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 told The Athletic. “To say that it wasn’t appreciated is just not true and completely unfair to him.”
Let’s unpack where all this is coming from.
Bronny James, now in his second season with the Lakers, has yet to carve out a consistent role in JJ Redick’s rotation. Through 24 games this year, he’s averaging just 1.5 points and 1.1 assists in 6.8 minutes per night. It’s been a slow start to his pro career, and while the expectations were always going to be sky-high given his last name, the reality is that Bronny is still developing at the NBA level.
Rewind to his college days, and it’s clear why scouts were once intrigued. Bronny entered USC with a lot of hype, but a difficult freshman season-including a month-long delay to his debut after suffering cardiac arrest in July 2023-dampened his draft stock.
In 25 games (six starts) for the Trojans, he averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 boards, and 2.1 assists. Solid flashes, but not enough to cement him as a can’t-miss prospect.
Still, the Lakers took a swing in the 2024 draft. Rich Paul, the agent for both LeBron and Bronny, said on The Pat McAfee Show that the decision came from Buss herself.
A month later, Buss publicly backed the pick, calling Bronny “one of the hardest-working guys on the team.” The organization clearly believed in the upside-and the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to unite a father-son duo on the same roster.
That historic moment came in the Lakers’ 2024-25 season opener, when Bronny made his NBA debut alongside LeBron, marking the first time a father and son shared the court in league history. It was a milestone moment not just for the James family, but for the NBA.
But behind the scenes, things haven’t always been so harmonious.
According to reports, Buss’s frustration with LeBron dates back to the summer of 2021, when the Lakers traded for Russell Westbrook-a move heavily influenced by James. The experiment didn’t pan out, and Buss reportedly felt that LeBron never took enough heat for the team’s disappointing season that followed. That tension apparently lingered.
In 2022, Buss even considered trading LeBron to the Clippers, according to sources. She also reportedly thought about not extending his contract. Ultimately, though, the Lakers doubled down on their commitment to the four-time MVP, signing him to a two-year, $97 million extension that August.
Fast forward to 2024, and LeBron recommitted once more-inking a two-year, $104 million deal that includes a no-trade clause. That contract runs through the 2025-26 season, and while the NBA’s all-time leading scorer hasn’t said whether he’ll hang it up after that, the clock is clearly ticking on one of the greatest careers we’ve ever seen.
So where does this leave the Lakers?
On the surface, the team has a once-in-a-generation superstar still playing at a high level, a young core in development, and an ownership group that’s made bold moves to keep the James era alive. But the reported friction between Buss and LeBron-whether past or present-adds another layer of complexity to the franchise’s future.
For now, the focus remains on the court. Bronny’s development, LeBron’s longevity, and the Lakers’ ability to compete in a stacked Western Conference will continue to dominate headlines. But as always in Los Angeles, the story behind the scenes is just as compelling as the one unfolding between the lines.