Shortly after the news broke, Doncic took to social media to post a farewell message to his former teammate.
“An honor to play with and learn from you @kingjames,” Doncic said in a post on his Instagram story alongside an image of him and James hugging.
After an unexpected trade sent Doncic to the Lakers on Feb. 1, 2025, he had a chance to play alongside his favorite player. However, with the Lakers looking to reshape their roster around Doncic, James is set to test the free agent market.
James has made clear many times in recent years that more championships are his motivation, which means it’s almost certain he’ll pick a team that he believes can contend for an NBA title in 2027. Golden State is believed to be on his list, though there are certainly some who will wonder if reunions with Cleveland and Miami are possible.
The Associated Press contributed to this post.