The NBA was stunned when the Los Angeles Lakers traded Anthony Davis to Dallas Mavericks in swap for Luka Doncic.
While LeBron James remained uninformed about the deal which consequently sparked uncertainty regarding James’s roster stay and internal organisational conflicts.
The Atletic’s Jovan Buha reported that some executives had concerns the star player would want to leave from the team.
“I don’t know how much of a worry it was at like the top level of the organisation, in terms of the Jeanie-Rob level, but I know in talking to lower level people there in the immediate aftermath of the trade and the situation, there was a sense,” Buha said.
“There’s no way LeBron knew [about the trade]. And doing a trade of this magnitude and not giving him the heads up. He’s always been ‘the guy’ since he entered the league,” Buha added.
The fear Buha experienced turned out to be of short duration. The team managed to discern minimal adverse reactions from within their organisation shortly after the trade happened.
“I know from my conversations with people involved in the situation that there was initial fear. It’s no lie that it was all very much in the dark for a lot of people.” Buha said.
“But that didn’t last long. After 24 hours, the dust started to settle and it became clear that LeBron was staying. So there was a tension, which didn’t last long,” he added.
James has expressed his shock about the trade but he understands basketball business principles while continuing his commitment to the Lakers organisation.
“It’s a business, and you gotta get past that. And look forward to what we got now,” James said.
James opted for a two-year contract worth $101.3 million during the summer which carries a player option through the 2025-26 season.
His annual wage reaches $48.7 million in this year and will increase to $52.6 million the following season.
The 40-year-old forward continues to defy expectations, averaging 25.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 8.5 assists over 58 games this season.
The LA Lakers, meanwhile, hold the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference with a 43-25 record.
