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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 11: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second quarter in Game Four of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on May 11, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)

Controversial media personality Stephen A Smith believes that he has some insight into the rumors that LeBron James feels taken for granted by the Los Angeles Lakers. The free agency of James this summer will be a major story to see if the Lakers re-sign him or if he joins another team to end his career elsewhere. Reports have lingered since the Lakers elimination earlier this week about why LeBron holds some resentment to the franchise.

Smith claims that past mistakes from James and his Klutch Sports camp caused the dissent:

“Have the Los Angeles Lakers taken LeBron James for granted? Sure, you can make that argument. They don’t particularly like him. That’s what this is about more than anything else. They’ll never admit that.

You know that Rich Paul and Klutch Sports Group, and by extension LeBron James, turned them off when they made the Russell Westbrook trade that ended up being disastrous. They felt like LeBron wasn’t accepting accountability when narratives were put out there that the organization was the issue and not LeBron James. They knew it wasn’t them putting that stuff out there.”

The infamous Russell Westbrook trade featured Rich Paul, Klutch Sports, and LeBron receiving some blame from Lakers management. Westbrook ended up suffering a major decline on the Lakers and that move caused multiple seasons of failure.

How This Plays Into LeBron Drama

Recent reports about James feeling he deserves more respect from the Lakers stems over the past year. Insiders have made it clear that the franchise didn’t view LeBron as a priority in the upcoming offseason since the goal is now to build a championship roster around Luka Doncic.

However, these reports came earlier in the season when James struggled a bit and looked like a distant third option on the team. LeBron stepped up during the injuries to Doncic and Austin Reaves by showing he can still play All-Star caliber basketball to contribute to winning.

The Lakers likely started distancing themselves from James in the sense of treating him like a franchise player this season. LeBron was not initially meant to be a priority in free agency, but it has become more important to keep him. Previous issues causing conflict could see them parting ways this summer.

Lakers Still Favorites To Keep LeBron

Despite all these reports about James feeling underappreciated and the Lakers having to make big decisions, most expect the two parties to stay together. LeBron would have to move his family and take the risk on higher expectations of joining another franchise.

The Cleveland Cavaliers or Golden State Warriors failing with James would give him a more negative end to his career. Cleveland could be more fitting since the hometown ties could create a special retirement tour.

However, the Lakers are the one team to give him the familiarity of a roster he’s placed with for many years now and less pressure to win the title. LeBron also gets to play with his son Bronny James and retire in a dream scenario, outside of the conflict he may feel with management or ownership.