The Los Angeles Lakers have a busy off-season ahead with a focus on their newest superstar.
The LA Lakers have two superstars to appease in the off-season after Luka Doncic was traded to join LeBron James at the deadline.
Anthony Davis was sent to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange, with the Lakers appearing to secure their superstar of the future.
But there is a little anxiety in LA due to Luka Doncic’s contract being set to expire in 2026.
Doncic is ‘fully committed’ to LA right now, with the Lakers able to offer him an extension from August in 2025.
After the Lakers’ playoff exit, LeBron James made some unusually distant comments on Doncic’s contract, deferring all responsibility and claiming it is not up to him to persuade his teammate to stay.
Kendrick Perkins says LeBron James owes the LA Lakers
LeBron James’ comments have generated a strong response, with Kendrick Perkins arguing that the superstar owes the LA Lakers.
He pointed out to ESPN’s First Take some of the many ways the Lakers have gone out of their way to appease the superstar, as recently as last summer.
Perkins included the drafting of LeBron’s son Bronny James, and the appointment of coach JJ Redick, and claims now is not the time for the superstar to sudden devolve himself of responsibility.
“Hell yes you gotta help the Lakers. Yes, you should be a part of it,” Perkins began.
“The Lakers has done everything and more to please LeBron James from fire Darvin Ham to trading away key pieces to get Russell Westbrook.
“And that didn’t work, you shipped Russell Westbrook out. He became a scapegoat.
“You draft Bronny James, you sign up to a contract you guaranteed all across the board. Kudos to that. But then you get your coach, JJ Redick, who you started a podcast with, you damn right, he should be in the process and help the Lakers for getting Luka to resign back.”
LeBron James could be simply showing respect for Luka Doncic
Luka Doncic is a superstar in his own right who did not choose to sign with the LA Lakers, he was traded very unexpectedly.
LeBron James is a player who has always chosen his future, from ‘The Decision’ to join the Miami Heat, to choosing to return home to Cleveland Cavaliers, and then selecting the next chapter on his future in LA in 2018.
By trying to not influence Luka Doncic, he could be simply trying to grant the superstar the freedom to choose LA on his won, without forcing him to make a decision.
It could be a sign of respect from LeBron, towards a player he immediately told to ‘fit out’ instead of ‘fit in’, wanting him to lead with his own way.
And while Perkins raises some valid points about what the organization has done for him, LeBron for now looks to be fully committed still, irrespective of his stance on Doncic.
