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ESPN Makes Huge Change to LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers Article

Originally posted on Dallas Hoops Journal
By Ashish Mathur | Last updated Jul 14, 2025 3:19 PM ET

ESPN has made a huge change to its recent article about NBA legend LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.

On July 11, NBA insiders Ramona Shelburne and Brian Windhorst reported that the Lakers told Luka Doncic about the Mark Walter sale but didn’t notify James.

The article has been updated. It now says that James was told about the sale through his representation.

“When the Buss family agreed to sell a majority stake in the franchise to Mark Walter on June 18, Doncic was given a heads-up and notably posted a congratulations on social media afterward. After the publication of this article, sources said James was notified of the sale, via his representation. But he did not post any public acknowledgement.”

James is represented by Rich Paul of Klutch Sports Group. Paul told NBA reporter Dave McMenamin that his client has not requested a trade from the Lakers.

However, Paul also revealed that four teams have contacted him with interest in trading for James, the leading scorer in NBA history.

James and the Lakers are not on the same page right now. Los Angeles wants to build for the future with Doncic, while James wants to compete for a championship next season.

Lakers beat reporter Dan Woike of The Athletic has more:

“Much of the tension appears to stem from the Lakers’ desire to keep their salary-cap sheet as clear as possible starting next summer, allowing them to find Doncic’s future partner either in free agency or via trade, when they’ll have access to use first-round picks in 2026, 2031 and 2033 for a single trade.”

If James requests a trade, he can choose his next team since the NBA icon has a no-trade clause in his contract.

A four-time MVP, James made the All-NBA Second Team and finished sixth in MVP voting last season. He may be the oldest player in the league, but James is still an elite player.