A veteran NBA executive has called the LA Lakers’ offseason strategy ‘idiotic’ as their drama-filled summer continues.
Rumours of LeBron James’ departure from LA only intensify following every news story that breaks. The crux of the matter: James wants to win another championship in the next couple of years, and the Lakers are looking to the future, specifically the 2027 offseason.
The Lakers have shifted their attention to the newly acquired superstar Luka Doncic. When the Lakers were sold, they told Doncic but not James. Everything coming out of LA says that the Lakers are building around Doncic and do not care about the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
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One NBA executive, among others, has questioned this strategy, which may see one of the NBA’s all-time greats walk out the door.
NBA executive questions LA Lakers offseason moves, ‘Just idiotic’
Should James leave, he needs to be traded or bought out. James opted into his $52 million extension at the start of the summer which keeps him under contract for another season.
An anonymous NBA executive, speaking to Hoops Wire, spoke about the difficulties of moving James.
They said, “The odds of LeBron getting traded are very, very low. His salary is just too high.
“But I think LeBron and the Lakers’ front office are butting heads. They haven’t had an impressive offseason at all, and then there are rumours that Rob (Pelinka) is saving cap space for 2027. That’s just idiotic when you have LeBron and Luka.”
A veteran NBA exec didn’t hold back on the Lakers’ offseason:
“Not impressive at all. And saving cap space for 2027 when you’ve got LeBron and Luka? That’s idiotic.”
(per @AshishMathur) pic.twitter.com/4V9sY114UN
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 12, 2025
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The Lakers are clearly out on James. They did not even bother to announce James’ contract news, they are ignoring his wishes of trying to win now, and they have openly said they are building around his teammate.
The feeling seems mutual, too. The Lakers’ new signing DeAndre Ayton said that LeBron didn’t send him a welcome message when he joined the team, but he got one from Doncic.
Now it’s just a question of whether LeBron can fight his way out of LA, and where he may end up.
Cleveland Cavaliers among teams interested in LeBron James
The fairy-tale ending is on the cards. James could return home to Cleveland, where he won a championship in 2016, for the third time.
Reports say that the Cavaliers would be interested in signing James, but only if he is bought out by the Lakers and then signs with his former team under the veteran’s minimum.
It’s not out of the question that the Lakers could do this simply to remove the headache, but if there is a market out there for James they’ll try to get something in return.
LeBron could be traded to a couple of teams that are trying to win now and make the salary work. The Golden State Warriors could trade him for Jimmy Butler straight up, which would make both teams better.
The New York Knicks could also make the deal work by sending Karl-Anthony Towns to LA.
Whatever the result, the Lakers have burned the current iteration of the team down to the ground, and it’s now difficult to imagine James suiting up in the purple and gold next season.