Skip Bayless thinks the Lakers already gave up on LeBron James: “The Lakers would have been fine if LeBron just opted out and gone elsewhere” originally appeared on Basketball Network.
Skip Bayless sees this offseason as clear proof that the Los Angeles Lakers are preparing for life after LeBron James. After all, the Purple and Gold experienced nothing but disappointment over the past three postseasons, mentioning the fact that the franchise lost all but two contests in their last 14 playoff games.
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“It’s starting to strongly feel like the Lakers would have been fine if LeBron had just gone ahead and opted out and gone elsewhere. They would have been fine with that,” the veteran commentator said on “The Skip Bayless Show.” “It feels like, smells like they’ve already decided to move on from LeBron after the next season in which they are stuck with LeBron at 52.6 million.”
For Bayless, the only thing that may prevent the Lakers from moving on from LBJ is if the latter somehow leads the franchise to a deep playoff run. Nonetheless, Los Angeles has already sent feelers that they don’t consider the four-time MVP as part of their future and that Luka Doncic is the present and the future of the franchise.
“The truth is that for the first time in his career, LeBron is suddenly thrust into a contract year,” added Bayless.
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Has LeBron lost leverage?
News about the Lakers moving on to their next chapter that does not include James is not new. Over the past trade deadline, the rumor mill has been speculating that LeBron might go over to Golden State to team up with Steph Curry or return to Cleveland for a homecoming.
However, as Bayless pointed out, that may not be in James’ best interest. The King has positioned himself smack dab in the middle of Hollywood in his goal to be a power player in the media industry. He naturally wants to be on top of his off-the-court endeavors and playing outside of L.A. would evidently not allow that.
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Bayless believes LeBron is entering unfamiliar territory — a contract year with limited leverage. While James remains one of the league’s biggest draws, his age, salary and looming retirement make him expendable. The Lakers are no longer operating under LeBron’s timeline but their own, especially with the new ownership coming into play.
“He’s actually playing for a contract because it’s pretty clear to me that he does not wanna finish his career anywhere but in Hollywood, where he’s building his forever home high above the city that will be home to his second career in the entertainment world,” Skip stated.
Time is ticking and the Lakers know it
There is no denying LeBron’s production on the court, but committing $50 million to somebody his age means the Lakers are denying themselves the opportunity to shore up their overall roster. After all, depth is the ultimate weapon, as the 2025 NBA finals proved.
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James can see from a mile away that he is no longer a priority around the organization. The Lakers have cleared about $60 million in cap space in the summer of 2026, the year Doncic’s three-year extension will start to kick in. They will reportedly offer more than half of that to retain Austin Reaves, which means James will have to accept a massive pay cut if he indeed wants to remain in a Laker uniform.
As Bayless sees it, the message is clear: the Lakers won’t chase after LeBron. If he wants to stay in Hollywood, the burden is on him to prove he still fits into a future that no longer revolves around him.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 7, 2025, where it first appeared.