The Los Angeles Lakers are enjoying a 10-day break from regular-season basketball games. The drama, though, never takes plays off.

Prior to the All-Star break, LeBron James made his thoughts on the team's current roster — which he helped construct — and his preferred approach to the trade deadline not-so-subtly clear. As ESPN's Brian Windhorst emphasized, James was overt if indirectly, challenging the Lakers' front office to shake it up — meaning: trade the 2027 first-round pick, which LeBron literally could not care less about.

Then, LeBron spent his weekend in Cleveland — culminating in a game-winning fadeaway — continuing to passive-aggressively pressure his higher-ups.

Before the “second-half” begins on Friday, let's summarize everything we've heard from LeBron's and the Lakers' respective camps and assess where the relationship between the two sides sits months before James will be eligible for a two-year extension.

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10) On Feb. 8, after the Lakers were man-handled by the Milwaukee Bucks at home, LeBron was asked if his team can reach the Bucks' level? “No,” he responded. LeBron A source from “inside the Lakers locker room” conveniently offered the same message to various beat writers (who may or may not have walked through the tunnel with No. 23 following his post-game presser): the Lakers know they aren't good enough.

On Feb. 10: Los Angeles does nothing at the 2022 NBA Trade Deadline. That afternoon, Lakers vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka told reporters that he, LeBron, and Anthony Davis were “in alignment” on the inactivity. The next day, ESPN's Dave McMenamin reports that Pelinka's categorization of James and Davis' stance is “totally false.” LeBron was peeved by Pelinka speaking on his behalf.

9) Over the past few weeks, a blame game has emerged from within. Some members of the organization want to paint LeBron and Davis as the sole proponents of the Russ acquisition, and therefore are responsible for making the situation work, rather than asking the team to mortgage any more future assets to marginally improve a non-contender (while there were differing opinions on the trade, Pelinka was “pro” Russ.)

As Windhorst has articulated, LeBron doesn't care about past or future roster construction concerns, regardless of who's at fault. He wants his front office to exhaust every option to improve in the present, full stop, as he does on the court.

8) Last week, James praised every GM in sports not named Pelinka. He endorsed an image of Rams GM Les Snead wearing a shirt with his own face on it and his quote, “F*ck them picks.”

Upon arrival in Ohio, James lauded Cavs GM Koby Altman — who made four trades before the 2018 deadline to appease LeBron, who had essentially quit on the team (a rejuvenated LBJ led Cleveland to the Finals.) LeBron also redirected a question about Josh Giddey into a sermon on why Oklahoma City Thunder GM Sam Presti (incidentally, a man who likes draft picks more than anybody else) is the real MVP.

7) LeBron told The Athletic that he would not rule out a return to the Cavs. He also stated that his final NBA season would be played with his son, Bronny. Tellingly, he said he didn't know “when I’m free” to change teams.

He spoke longingly and at length about Cleveland's importance to him, the Cavs' bright future, and even referred to himself as a member of the Cavs, in the present tense.

6) On Sunday, Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus dropped this tidbit in his exposé on the growing tensions from within the Lakers organization.

“According to multiple NBA sources, Klutch is not happy with Pelinka. The sentiment has long percolated, but it reached a boil when Pelinka refused to trade Westbrook and a future first-round pick (likely 2027) for Houston Rockets guard and Klutch client John Wall.”

Rich Paul pushed back on this precise notion via a strongly but carefully worded message to Stephen A. Smith:

“Rich Paul called me yesterday and asked me to quote him on this story about him, and Klutch Sports, and essentially them wanting the Lakers to trade Russell Westbrook and a first-round pick to Houston for John Wall. He wanted me to state emphatically that there was absolutely, positively no truth to that whatsoever. He never did that. He did not do that. The people who wrote the story never contacted him to get any kind of perspective from him on that.

“It is an absolute lie, and he said ‘could you please do me a favor and quote me and tell the world that I specifically said that’s a damn lie. There is no truth. It never happened.’ Just for what it’s worth, that’s what Rich Paul says about these stories that have been put out there. Fair enough. So I quoted him.”

You'll notice Paul did not refute the part about Pelinka.

5) LeBron, 37, has one-year left on his deal after this season. As noted above, he's eligible for a two-year, $97ish million extension on Aug. 4. The Lakers will surely offer him that deal. The recent comments by LeBron — who does not have a player option — have revealed his leverage play: Threaten the Lakers to improve the roster in July and let it be known that he'll pass on that extension and go elsewhere in 2023.

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(Bronny will most likely be draft-eligible in 2024, The Lakers need not concern themselves with the Bronny thing. at the moment.)

4) Klutch may prefer the Lakers move on from Pelinka, but they shouldn't hold their breath. According to Marc Stein, Pelinka — Kobe's longtime agent and best friend, is firmly ensconced in the organization's Brain Trust, alongside Jeanie Buss and Kurt and Linda Rambis. (None of them are going anywhere, either. Jeanie isn't selling. Linda and Kurt are close friends and confidantes.)

3) The Lakers 2029 first-round pick becomes eligible to be traded on July 1. Westbrook's deal will be expiring. Suddenly, Russ, with two 1sts, doesn't look so impossible to deal. Only six other current Lakers are on the books for next season.

2) Jeanie has two existential questions to face. Generally, who is truly calling the shots at the top of her organization? Herself? Linda? Kurt? Rob? Magic? LeBron? Rich?

More immediately: How much power are the Lakers willing to continue to concede to Klutch and LeBron going forward, as he approaches his 20th NBA season and the age of 40? It was a bit easier for LeBron to convince franchises to export future assets for win-now upgrades when he had five, 10, 15 prime years ahead of him. Sure, the Lakers are on his timeline, but that timeline might be too short to completely overlook their future. Unlike the Cavs, the Lakers brand is bigger than any one player.

1) By all accounts (including reports from Windhorst and Zach Lowe on Tuesday), LeBron doesn't want to leave the Lakers. He loves Los Angeles life and appreciates the purple-and-gold. Less than a year ago he stated his intention to retire with the Lakers. Still, it's not hard to connect all of these dots.

For now, though, there are 24 more games of the 2021-22 regular season. The Lakers are 27-31 and ninth in the Western Conference.