National Basketball Association

Tensions rising between LeBron James and Lakers' front office?

Updated Feb. 24, 2022 3:21 p.m. ET

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers appear to be entangled in a deadlock.

According to reports, tensions between the two sides reached a tipping point at the NBA's trade deadline when the Lakers failed to make a deal. They'd been engrossed in trade talks in the days and weeks leading up to the deadline, and rumors swirled that James himself was a main proponent in wanting execs to make a move.

But the Lakers emerged on the other side of the deadline with virtually the same roster they began the season with. Which to James, was the least desirable outcome he could've foreseen.

James, and Anthony Davis, reportedly both wanted their team to part ways with struggling guard Russell Westbrook in exchange for John Wall, who happens to be a fellow Klutch Sports client. The Rockets appeared interested in the swap, but when they asked L.A. for a first-round pick, in addition to Westbrook, Lakers GM Rob Pelinka backed out.

That didn't sit well with the King. And while he's kept any alleged discontentment to himself, a few of his comments from All-Star weekend have been labeled as passive-aggressive shots toward Pelinka.

In response to a question regarding Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey, James surreptitiously slipped in a remark about OKC's President Sam Presti, saying, "The MVP over there is Sam Presti. He's the MVP. Josh Giddey is great. Sam Presti, I don’t understand his eye for talent. He drafted KD [Kevin Durant], Russ, Jeff Green, Serge Ibaka, Reggie Jackson, Josh Giddey and the list goes on and on and on. This guy is pretty damn good."

James also later revealed his intent to play with his son Bronny, who's currently a high school junior.

"My last year will be played with my son," James told The Athletic. "Wherever Bronny is at, that’s where I’ll be. I would do whatever it takes to play with my son for one year. It’s not about the money at that point."

He added that a potential return to Cleveland was not out of the picture.

"The door’s not closed on that," James told The Athletic. "I’m not saying I’m coming back and playing, I don’t know. I don’t know what my future holds. I don’t even know when I’m free."

It's a stark difference from his mindset just a year earlier. James told media members in 2021 that he had every intention to finish out his career as a Laker.

And in Nick Wright's assessment of the situation, the Lakers are totally at fault for James' change of heart.

"Everyone knows what the LeBron James business comes with: You win championships, you're one of the most relevant teams in the entire league," Wright said Thursday on "First Things First."

"They got the full meal, and now the check's coming due and they're looking around like ‘who’s picking this up?'"

Wright used a romantic analogy to describe the situation.

"If someone's like ‘hey, there's this lady that's interested in you. She's incredibly smart, so much fun, spontaneous, interesting, you are going to love your time with her. But she's ridiculously expensive, will order the most expensive thing on every menu, nothing but five-star restaurants, she has violent mood swings, and I guarantee she leaves you within five years.'

"If you get all that information and you're like ‘sign me up,' then you don't get to complain when she orders the lobster tail add-on. This is what comes with LeBron! You need to win now, you need to say screw the future, you need to pay the luxury tax, you've got to deal with the fact that he's a little crazy at times. You got the good, this is the bad."

LeBron & Lakers' rising tension was something everyone saw coming

The rising tension between LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers' office was something Nick Wright saw coming from miles away.

For Chris Broussard, the Lakers need to exercise caution when dealing with a Goliath-like star with the magnitude of James. History has multiple instances to evidence that.

"If I'm the Lakers, I don't want to go to war with LeBron James," Broussard warned.

"Dan Gilbert writes the letter when LeBron leaves Cleveland, personally guaranteeing that the Cavaliers will win a championship before LeBron did. Then LeBron leaves Miami and Pat Riley is upset, and somebody in that organization told LeBron he was making the biggest mistake of his career. He goes to Cleveland and leads them to the first championship in the last 50 years. And he goes the Lakers, and people say ‘he’s alienating the young guys.' He gets Anthony Davis, and the Lakers go from a team that hadn't made the playoffs in six years, to winning a championship."

The rising tensions have yet to boil over, but James' latest comments could have turned up the heat.