LeBron James on encouraging Luka Doncic to sign with Lakers long-term: No, that ain’t my job, that trade happened for the future
James made a concerted effort to empower Doncic since he arrived in L.A., sources said, and will not try to sway his teammate’s decision. “No, that ain’t my job,” James told ESPN. “I think … I don’t think, I know, Luka knows how I feel about him. And ultimately, that trade happened for the future. That’s not for me. Luka has to decide what he has to do with his future. He’s [26] years old, I’m 40, so he can’t be basing his career off me. That’s just real. “But I hope, obviously, [he stays long term]. Laker fans f—ing love him here. L.A. has accepted him. We love him as a teammate, as a brother. But ultimately, he’s got to make a decision for him. S—, I ain’t going to be around much longer.”
Source: ESPN
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
David MacKay @DavidMacKayNBA
If you think LeBron James’ MCL sprain is a PR play, you are, in fact, a clown. – 6:56 PM
Chris Haynes @ChrisBHaynes
On this Haynes Briefs EP, my guest is Rich Paul who pulled up for an hour. Playoff chat, LeBron James’ future, LeBron playing entire second half, Luka-AD saga and much more. Comical/informative. Subscribe. #haynesbriefs
m.youtube.com/watch?v=WnEcId… pic.x.com/GIj41x8sCa – 6:41 PM
Sirius XM NBA @SiriusXMNBA
“Are there any plumbers on the list?!”
Hear Steve Francis react to being in the same category as Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Oscar Robertson
@TheFrankIsola | @Scalabrine pic.x.com/j0uOg5Kc62 – 6:12 PM
Jorge Sierra @hoopshype
LeBron James has dropped to No. 31 on the list of players with the best winning percentages in NBA playoffs history (minimum: 100 games).
Michael Jordan is at No. 13… with 65 fewer wins, though.
hoopshype.com/lists/nba-play… – 4:28 PM
Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Luka Doncic is a Laker, but that’s not enough to win a ring. What’s next for Los Angeles this offseason?
nbcsports.com/nba/news/donci… – 4:19 PM
Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
TBH, I suspect LeBron not being willing to take a pay cut has a ripple effect that leads to the Lakers emphasizing the future over the present a bit in this offseason.
If their immediate title odds are lower, I suspect they try to hoard 2026 cap space with whatever they do now. – 4:13 PM
Emiliano Carchia @Sportando
LeBron James: “It’s not my job to convince Luka Dončić to stay with the Lakers” sportando.basketball/en/lebron-jame… – 3:40 PM
Dave McMenamin @mcten
Luka Doncic will have a contract decision to make with the Lakers. LeBron James told ESPN, he will not try to sway his young teammate, cognizant of their career timelines. Full story: espn.com/nba/story/_/id… pic.x.com/ERk3poaXqm – 3:20 PM
StatMuse @statmuse
Most PPG by a player 35 or older this playoffs:
25.4 — LeBron
23.4 — Steph
20.7 — Harden
15.8 — Jimmy
13.4 — Russ
7.0 — Horford
6.4 — Draymond
6.0 — Batum pic.x.com/4sbYZkjWXX – 2:43 PM
Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
“The Lakers needed LeBron to score more in 4th quarters vs. Minnesota” is not the same as “LeBron had a bad series.” The first one is true. The second one is not. BK – 2:18 PM
Emiliano Carchia @Sportando
LeBron James suffers MCL sprain in left knee, out 3-5 weeks sportando.basketball/en/lebron-jame… – 1:57 PM
Jorge Sierra @hoopshype
Apropos of nothing… Shai dunks vs. Luka dunks year by year. pic.x.com/sMSS6RBTIJ – 1:44 PM
Dave McMenamin @mcten
Story filed to ESPN.com: LeBron James suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his left knee from his collision with Donte DiVincenzo in Wednesday’s Game 5, a league source told ESPN. The injury entails a 3-5 week recovery timeline. – 1:42 PM
Sam Amick @sam_amick
LeBron James’ comment about Anthony Davis was eyebrow-raising considering the context.
His view of the roster, sources say, is part of his calculus this summer. More here on the Lakers’ frustrating finish and their uncertain future, w/ @jovanbuha
nytimes.com/athletic/63281… – 1:27 PM
Sam Amick @sam_amick
Diving into the Lakers offseason, with @jovanbuha, at @TheAthletic
* Intel on LeBron scenarios (including non-Lakers)
* Luka’s contract options, and long-term vision
* The pressure (again) that’s on Rob Pelinka to find a big man
nytimes.com/athletic/63281… – 11:43 AM
Tommy Beer @TommyBeer
Jalen Brunson is averaging 30.5 points in the 30 playoff games he’s played with the Knicks.
Only five other players in NBA history have averaged more than 30 points in their first 30 playoff games for a franchise:
MJ
Wilt
Baylor
Luka
Kareem pic.x.com/bt26sOmTmt – 9:19 AM
Michael Grange @michaelgrange
IYCMI — on LeBron and the upcomming off-season of change: sportsnet.ca/nba/article/le… – 8:47 AM
Jorge Sierra @hoopshype
Kawhi moved ahead of Julius Erving in playoff scoring. He’s now No. 25 all-time.
He passed Luka Doncic in assists at No. 80. – 2:49 AM
StatMuse @statmuse
Jalen Brunson has the same number of 40-point playoff games as
Luka Doncic
Steph Curry
Devin Booker pic.x.com/NqlaDzlk8E – 10:27 PM
Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
Luka didn’t have the series he needed to have against Minnesota. I can acknowledge that. I’m just saying I’m seeing a lot of really definitive takes about what his future holds and what kind of players he is today that I don’t think are going to look great a few years from now. – 8:47 PM
Melissa Rohlin @melissarohlin
Exclusive with Bronny James on what it’s like to play with LeBron:
foxsports.com/stories/nba/la… – 8:45 PM
Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
Here’s a summary of today’s end-of-season press conference from Rob Pelinka and JJ Redick, plus some quotes from LeBron and Luka:
nba.com/lakers/news/la… – 8:39 PM
Salman Ali @SalmanAliNBA
Looks like Luka is getting post-Blazers series Harden treatment now about his defense. – 6:53 PM
Melissa Rohlin @melissarohlin
Exclusive with Bronny on what it was like to play with his father, LeBron James — and whether he’s hoping the Face of the League returns for another season:
foxsports.com/stories/nba/la… – 5:54 PM
More on this storyline
If James returns to the Lakers, though, league sources say he’s not expected to consider the kind of pay cut that was in play around this time a year ago. Last summer, James took a discount of approximately $2.7 million to help the Lakers stay under the second apron and maintain roster flexibility. -via New York Times / May 2, 2025
So, might James think about finishing his career elsewhere in pursuit of a fifth ring? When posed that question, both league sources close to James and team sources would not rule that possibility out. -via New York Times / May 2, 2025
Dave McMenamin: Had the Lakers extended their series with the Wolves for Game 6 tonight in Minnesota, they would be without LeBron James and James’ record streak of 292 straight playoff games without sitting out would have been snapped -via x.com / May 2, 2025
Depending on Dončić’s preference, he has multiple pathways to his next contract. Beginning on Aug. 2, based on salary-cap projections, he can sign a four-year, $229 million extension. To recoup the money he lost in the trade from losing his supermax eligibility, Dončić could sign a shorter three-year, $165 million extension, with a player option for 2028-29 that would coincide with reaching 10 years of service to be eligible for the 35 percent max. In that scenario, he could sign a five-year, $418 million deal in the 2028 offseason. -via New York Times / May 2, 2025
It’s a small example of Luka Doncic seeking comfort and routine in a season void of either. But it was a response to the whispers about him coming out of the trade — a commitment to squeezing in extra conditioning after joining the Lakers with a strained left calf that sidelined him for 5½ weeks, sources told ESPN. His game-day routine starts at 9 a.m. with bodywork, shots, weightlifting and a cold tub plunge, sources said. Maintaining his pregame routine, fun though it is, was a sign, one source said, of Doncic recognizing the sooner he got back to peak form with his new team, the sooner the Lakers could reach their full potential. -via ESPN / May 2, 2025
Three days after trading Anthony Davis to Dallas for Doncic, the Lakers orchestrated a deal with the Charlotte Hornets to land 7-footer Mark Williams, a tantalizing but injury-prone young center who was supposed to provide Doncic a vertical threat around the rim other than Jaxson Hayes. Williams was Doncic’s preferred lob partner out of a list of potential trade targets and told the team so, sources said, after Doncic had been so effective with Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford in Dallas. The deal was agreed upon the night before the trade deadline, a buzzer-beater by the Lakers’ front office after already successfully negotiating the Doncic deal and the acquisition of Dorian Finney-Smith from the Brooklyn Nets in late December. Only Williams never suited up for L.A. He failed the team’s physical examination, and the Lakers “just couldn’t live with what they saw,” a source with knowledge of the subject told ESPN. -via ESPN / May 2, 2025
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