On Saturday, the Los Angeles Lakers held a press conference to announce the long-term contract extension signed by Luka Doncic, signifying the team's commitment to the star they acquired shockingly at the trade deadline. There had been little question that such a deal would be coming this offseason, but now that it's set in stone, Lakers fans can breathe a little easier.
Many of Doncic's Lakers teammates were in attendance for the press conference, but one person whom social media detectives noticed was absent was LeBron James, which predictably caused a firestorm on social media.
Recently, NBA insider Marc Stein took to his Substack to set the record straight on that situation.
“LeBron and son Bronny James were noticeably not in attendance at the news conference, but I'm told that LeBron FaceTimed Doncic on Saturday morning to congratulate him on the new deal. Austin Reaves, meanwhile, is currently away in Asia on a promotional sneaker tour for his Rigorer signature shoe,” reported Stein.
A big day for the Lakers
If it wasn't already clear, the recent contract extension and press conference further solidified the fact that Doncic is now the Lakers' No. 1 priority moving forward.
This has led some to speculate about whether James may be feeling a bit alienated by a franchise that he joined and helped resurrect in 2018 amid what was one of their worst stretches in history.
Fuel was added to that fire when James' agent Rich Paul put out a vague statement hinting at a possible search for greener pastures.
However, in some respects, James may be relieved to know that he's entering a season where he will not be counted on to produce at a Herculean level every night just to keep his team above water, as has been the case throughout much of his career, including portions of his Lakers tenure.
Helping matters on that front is the recent weight loss Doncic displayed in pictures published by Men's Health Magazine, which should allow the star to be in better condition heading into this year.
In any case, the Lakers' schedule will be announced later this month.
