Dave McMenamin
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- Lakers and NBA reporter for ESPN.
- Covered the Lakers and NBA for ESPNLosAngeles.com from 2009-14, the Cavaliers from 2014-18 for ESPN.com and the NBA for NBA.com from 2005-09.
LOS ANGELES — LeBron James says he achieved his purpose of “restoring excellence” to the Los Angeles Lakers group by profitable a championship in his tenure with the membership and “doesn’t care” what anybody — together with crew governor Jeanie Buss — feels about him at this stage of his life.
James made the feedback Thursday following a 112-104 loss to the LA Clippers when he was requested a few story printed this week by ESPN’s Baxter Holmes that explored the Buss household dynamics main as much as the franchise’s sale to billionaire Mark Walter in June. The story included reporting on the allegedly strained relationship between Jeanie Buss and James.
The story detailed discord effervescent between Buss and James when he arrived as a free agent in 2018, for a way the four-time MVP was “considered a savior for a floundering franchise,” slightly than Buss and the Lakers being lauded for touchdown him.
A big level of stress detailed within the story was the fallout from the failed Russell Westbrook commerce, which precipitated Buss to “privately bristle” for a way James didn’t take accountability for the transfer.
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There was a lot friction following the Westbrook debacle that, in response to a number of individuals cited in Holmes story, Buss “privately mused” about not providing James a contract extension in 2022 and later floated the potential for buying and selling James to the Clippers.
James had a distinct perspective when requested about his partnership with Buss.
“I thought it was good, but, you know, somebody could see it another way,” James mentioned. “It’s always two sides of the coin. … How I represented this franchise, and what I wanted to do to represent this franchise since when I got here until now, it’s been with the utmost respect and honor and dignity. And I would say loyalty. I mean, s—, I played here longer than pretty much any other franchise I played for besides Cleveland.”
James added that he has not spoken to Buss for the reason that story was printed however defined that he has by no means had the kind of relationship with a crew proprietor the place he would decide up the cellphone to speak one-on-one fairly often. That consists of Dan Gilbert in Cleveland and Mickey Arison in Miami.
The 41-year-old James, who has been lined by nationwide publications since he was 14 years previous, mentioned he has come to anticipate tales diving into his life away from the basketball court docket.
“I don’t really care about the reports, to be honest,” James mentioned. “Since I’ve been here, my eighth year here [in L.A.], been in this league 23 years, there’s [always going to] be another article tomorrow, especially involving me.
“At the top of the day, once I got here to this group, my complete mindset was about restoring excellence. The issues that I noticed rising up with the Lakers — clearly, I did not get a possibility to observe the Showtime [era], however I do know the historical past. Then the early 2000s with Shaq [O’Neal] and Kobe [Bryant], after which what Kobe did and people couple runs with him and Pau [Gasol]. So, my complete mindset was like, how can I get that feeling again to the Lakers group? … I used to be ready to try this together with, you realize, 14, 16 different guys profitable the championship, bringing the championship right here. That’s all the time been my mindset.”
James joined the Lakers when the team was in the midst of a five-year postseason drought.
L.A. failed to qualify for the playoffs in his first season, in 2018-19, but James publicly lobbied for the team to trade for Anthony Davis, then a member of the New Orleans Pelicans.
The deal was completed in the summer of 2019, and the Lakers went on to win the championship in the NBA bubble in Orlando, Florida, in October 2020 — dedicating the title to Bryant, who died in a tragic helicopter crash that year.
The Lakers have made the postseason in five of the six years since, advancing to the Western Conference finals in 2023 and winning the inaugural in-season tournament championship the following season.
“Quite frankly, I do not really care about articles,” James said. “I really do not. I do not care about tales. I do not care about podcasts and all that kind of s—. Nah, they do not trouble me. I’m 41 years previous, and I watch golf daily. I do not care about an article. I do not care how anyone feels about me. If you realize me personally and you realize what I’m about, [my teammates] know what I’m about, and that is all that issues. … I can care much less how anyone feels about me.”
Buss issued a statement to The Athletic on Wednesday, addressing ESPN’s story.
“It’s really not proper, given all the good issues LeBron has executed for the Lakers, that he needs to be pulled into my household drama,” she said. “To say that it wasn’t appreciated is simply not true and fully unfair to him.”
Buss also changed the image on her Instagram profile to a photo of her and James embracing after the 2020 championship win.
Before the Clippers game, Lakers coach JJ Redick said that the entire team shares an appreciation for James.
“Everybody on this group appreciates LeBron and appreciates what he is executed for the Lakers,” Redick said. “He’s carried on the legacy and likewise, in truth, the burden of being a famous person for the Los Angeles Lakers for eight years. And he is executed it with class.
“And then personally, I can just speak to it. I’ve enjoyed coaching him at the highest level, like 10 out of 10. That’s not to say LeBron and I don’t have our disagreements, but I know with that guy, he’s going to put everything into this, and it’s been awesome to coach.”
Thursday additionally marked two weeks till the NBA commerce deadline on Feb. 5.
James, who has a no-trade clause in his contract, was requested if he wished to complete the season with the Lakers or if he would waive the no-trade clause to discover a transfer to a different crew.
“I’m good,” James mentioned earlier than exiting the locker room. “I’m good.”
