LeBron James Hasn't Reached Out to Deandre Ayton, But Luka Doncic Has

While Ayton has publicly said he's spoken to Doncic since joining the Lakers, he has not heard from LeBron James.

James and the Lakers appear to be in a bit of a strange spot. While he did opt into a player option north of $52 million recently, the Lakers have not released a public press release on the move. It's something the team traditionally does without blinking.

As for James, a statement did come from Rich Paul which passive aggressively (or aggressively depending on how one looks at it)

"LeBron wants to compete for a championship. He knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all. We are very appreciative of the partnership that we've had for eight years with Jeanie [Buss] and Rob [Pelinka] and consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career.

"We understand the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future. We do want to evaluate what's best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career. He wants to make every season he has left count, and the Lakers understand that, are supportive and want what's best for him."

It is a big curious that Ayton and James haven't touched base yet. In the past, James hasn't hesitated in publicly welcoming other new additions to the team through social media.

More news: Lakers Rumors: NBA Insider Makes Prediction on De'Anthony Melton in Free Agency

In this case, despite the opt-in, is James seeing a role somewhere else? He's been uncharacteristically quiet all offseason long, and with the Lakers a ways away from being a true title contender as currently constituted, one has to wonder whether he would welcome a new challenge elsewhere.

More news: Lakers Notes: Massive LeBron James Trade Update, Bradley Beal Latest, Anthony Davis Surgery

For more news and notes on the Los Angeles Lakers, visit Los Angeles Lakers on SI.