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2 Key Lakers Alliances Hint at Luka Doncic’s Deeper Commitment, LeBron Never Got It — Says Insider

Originally posted on LAFB Network | By Ryan Anderson | Last updated Aug 21, 2025 2:37 PM ET

The Los Angeles Lakers entered this offseason with more uncertainty than at any time in the LeBron James era. Ownership shifted from Jeanie Buss to Dodgers owner Mark Walter, Anthony Davis was dealt to Dallas in a blockbuster swap that brought Luka Doncic to L.A., and James himself faces what appears to be his final season with the franchise.

In the middle of it all, Doncic quietly signed a three-year, $165 million extension — the single most important move of the Lakers’ summer. The deal secured a new cor nerstone for the post-LeBron era. But as ESPN’s Tim McMahon noted, the extension was more than a contract; it was a message.

“Everything you hear coming from Luka Doncic, like the statements he’s put out from his people when he talks about the future of the Lakers, Mark Walter’s name is always mentioned in there very strategically. Jeanie Buss and Mark Walter,” McMahon explained.

That emphasis, according to McMahon, is not accidental. Doncic has begun positioning himself not just as the franchise’s best player, but also as someone who intends to shape its direction at the ownership level. For years, that leverage belonged solely to James, whose looming free agency always forced the Lakers’ hand. Now, as James nears 41 and plays out what may be his last season in purple and gold, the balance has shifted.

“LeBron has always had the ultimate power,” McMahon added on The Hoop Collective. “He has always had all the leverage. And now, LeBron doesn’t have the power and the leverage because the threat of his departure next summer is not really a threat to the Lakers. It certainly appears that [his exit is] part of the plan.”

A New Era of Influence

2 Key Lakers Alliances Hint at Luka Doncic’s Deeper Commitment, LeBron Never Got It — Says Insider 1 Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

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Doncic isn’t hiding the fact that he expects the Lakers to build around him. He reportedly had a hand in the push to acquire Marcus Smart and welcomed the arrival of Deandre Ayton, both aimed at strengthening a roster designed to compete immediately in the Western Conference. At the same time, he has been working to reshape his own game.

“I think he’s done a fantastic job working hard the entire summer,” Lakers assistant Greg St. Jean said. “It’s still a work in progress, but he’s going to continue to get better. He’s been doing a lot of training, and now he’s going to be playing five-on-five competition.”

That development is essential not only for next season, but for setting a tone. Doncic is signaling to Walter, Buss, and the Lakers’ front office that he is fully invested — but he expects the same commitment in return.

The LeBron James Factor

2 Key Lakers Alliances Hint at Luka Doncic’s Deeper Commitment, LeBron Never Got It — Says Insider 2 Kim Klement-Imagn Images

Meanwhile, James’ future with the Lakers is cloudier than ever. Despite exercising his $52.6 million player option for 2025–26, neither James nor the team has shown much urgency to reaffirm the partnership. “I have been waiting for Jeanie Buss or Mark Walter or Rob Pelinka or JJ Redick or somebody, anybody to say, ‘We’re thrilled LeBron has opted in and we’ll see ya in September,’” ESPN’s Tim Bontemps said on The Hoop Collective. The silence, he and his colleagues argued, speaks volumes.

With James’ leverage diminished and Doncic secured long-term, the Lakers’ identity is already tilting toward their new star. Whether James finishes his career in Los Angeles or is traded elsewhere, the organization’s long-term blueprint now runs through Doncic.

Setting the Tone

LeBron James' Real Thoughts on Lakers' Luka Doncic Takeover Revealed by Insider 3 Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Doncic’s calculated mentions of ownership might seem like a small detail, but as McMahon pointed out, they’re a window into how the 25-year-old sees himself within the Lakers’ hierarchy. He is not just a player under contract; he is the franchise’s future, and he intends to wield that power strategically.

For the first time in years, the Lakers’ most important voice is not James’. It’s Doncic’s — and he’s already making sure that Jeanie Buss and Mark Walter hear him.

This article first appeared on LAFB Network and was syndicated with permission.

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