Los Angeles Lakers begin quiet shift to Luka Doncic while LeBron James is left reacting not leading

The Los Angeles Lakers didn’t need to say it out loud. Not when Luka Doncic got the inside scoop on a $10 billion sale and LeBron James didn’t. Not when Doncic shared a private dinner with top brass while James stayed uninvolved.

This wasn't a coincidence. It feels like a carefully planned handover of power in Los Angeles, and LeBron may be watching his era fade without even being told it’s ending.

Luka Doncic knew about the Los Angeles Lakers' sale before LeBron James

After trading Anthony Davis for Luka Doncic at the February deadline, the Lakers have been making some quiet moves that hint they’re setting Doncic up to be their main guy for the long haul. A key moment came in early May when general manager Rob Pelinka and coach JJ Redick had a private dinner at Craig’s with Doncic and his agent—serious strategy talks over wine and cap tables, while LeBron James was noticeably missing.

This meeting wasn’t just a casual get-together—it was a clear message, Doncic is “the face of the franchise.”

To further emphasize the change — when the Buss family sold the Lakers to Mark Walter on June 18 for around $10 billion, Luka Doncic was given advance notice and immediately congratulated the organization. In contrast, LeBron James had to discover the news just like the rest of the public — no prior warning, no social media acknowledgment, no insider tips.

For a player who’s usually in the know about front-office strategies, that silence must have felt overwhelming.

Despite LeBron having a $52.6 million player option for 2025–26, the Lakers made no serious attempts to negotiate an extension with him. He eventually opted in on June 29, but only after his agent, Rich Paul, intervened—pointing out the minimal dialogue that took place. According to ESPN insiders, this lack of interaction indicates a 'planned end date' for LeBron James as the franchise pivot continues to evolve.LeBron looks like he’s sending out some signals. While he stays professional in public, he’s been teasing a return to the Cleveland Cavaliers on social media—leading insiders to claim that "nothing LeBron does happens by accident." Whether it’s just playful teasing or the start of something bigger, it certainly adds another twist to this unfolding narrative.Also Read: Shaquille O’Neal settles for $1.8M in FTX lawsuit with Tom Brady and Stephen Curry also under fireThe Los Angeles Lakers' shift to Luka Doncic is also caused by age, he is 40 years old. The Lakers were looking for a star who can replace him in the near future for the long run that's why he was traded in February for Anthony Davis.