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Richard Jefferson says there’s something ‘everyone knows’ about LeBron James that makes his complaints invalid

Originally posted on NBA Analysis Network | By Dan Coombs | Last updated Jul 16, 2025 10:30 PM ET

LeBron James’ former teammate Richard Jefferson has warned that his misgivings over his situation are overblown.

When he opted into his LA Lakers contract for the 2025-26 season, NBA superstar LeBron James expressed concern.

A statement was put out by his agency, urging the LA Lakers to make sure they build around him to win in 2025-26, and not simply build around Luka Doncic, for the next two to three years.

It was a remarkable approach, showing the rarity of LeBron James’ situation, where he is not the cornerstone of his franchise for the first time in more than two decades.

This has led to plenty of discussion, with mock trades being proposed sending LeBron out of LA, despite insistence from the Lakers that he will stay.

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Richard Jefferson says LeBron James cannot complain

Richard Jefferson played alongside LeBron James for the Cleveland Cavaliers and remains close with him, sharing an embrace at a NBA game last season amid furore over the star’s son Bronny.

Speaking to Road Trippin’, Jefferson said that the cold reality facing LeBron James is that the LA Lakers have to plan without him.

Jefferson explained: “They always say an athlete dies twice. When you retire and then when you actually pass on. And so there’s always a transition phase when you look at ‘Bron.

“He’s played the league for what, 22 years, or whatever. The NBA, he knows, the Lakers knows, everyone knows ‘Bron has one, maybe two years left.

“And this is not based off of his ability. This is based off of what he is saying, what the overall energy is.

“So LeBron can’t look at them and be like, ‘well if you want me a part of your five year plan, this is what you have to do’.

“We know that you’re moving on, and we want you to be in a Laker jersey. We want to move on.”

“We have to transition because everything is like five year plans, three year plans… like LeBron is not a part of their Lakers three year plan because he’s not a part of the NBA three year plan, because he’s most likely going to retire.

“So to make it so negative about ‘they’re not talking to LeBron’… Well, LeBron is moving on, right?

“LeBron is moving on. The person that’s about to retire from the company is not making boardroom decisions. That’s just factual in any industry, any business.”

LeBron James is back in line with the Lakers

Since LeBron James’ statement, the team have added a center in free agency, landing former number one pick Deandre Ayton.

It remains unclear what LeBron James will do beyond this coming season. This creates problems that the Lakers have not had to deal with before. Previously there has always been an option to extend.

So it may simply be the case that an uneasy truce continues, despite voices like Udonis Haslem, another former teammate, urging him to quit the Lakers and move elsewhere.

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

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