The rumors that LeBron James will be playing his age-40 season elsewhere are running rampant, and it all started with his agent, Rich Paul, making it clear that the four-time NBA Champion wasn’t 100% committed to the franchise despite picking up his $52.6 million player option.
In hindsight, the statement aimed to pressure the Lakers to build a championship-contending roster. However, with all the changes that have taken place at the organization over the last few months, former NBA Champion Kendrick Perkins believes James and Paul no longer have control over the front office.
Kendrick Perkins Believes Lakers Priorities Have Shifted After $10B Sale
With James potentially entering the final year of his career and the arrival of a new star in Luka Dončić, the priorities are bound to change. Paul said James “valued a realistic chance” of winning his fifth NBA title, while the Lakers want to build around Dončić, which is becoming increasingly apparent with time.
Another factor is the arrival of a new owner, Mark Welters. While there are reports that Jeanie Buss will stay and continue to run the Lakers as governor, Perkins believes it’s crazy to think Welters won’t be calling the shots after paying $10 billion.
“The Lakers got so much going,” Perkins said. “Rich Paul is putting out a statement. I feel it served no purpose but to ruffle the feathers, and you know why he wants to ruffle the feathers? Cause it’s new sheriffs in town. Yes, they have a new owner and I know there are reports that Jeanie Buss will still be there, I don’t believe that. You ain’t paying $10 billion without calling the shots.
“And when I say new sheriffs, it’s not just because of the owner. It’s because the focal point, the franchise guy, is now Luka. An international superstar. It’s not a 40-year-old LeBron James. It’s not Rich Paul. It’s Luka and Bill Duffy. I was saying Deandra Ayton will sign with the Lakers, because who got him representing, BDA (Bill Duffy)…They want him to sign an extension and make sure Luka is involved.”
Kendrick Perkins Says Lebron And Klutch Sports Control Over The Lakers Is Over pic.twitter.com/H9rQZ3RH01
— TheTruth (@Thetruth8240) July 5, 2025
The Lakers’ biggest need entering the offseason was a center, and as Perkins pointed out, they signed Deandre Ayton, who’s represented by the same agent as Dončić and is coming off one of the least productive seasons of his career. The next move at the center was resigning last year’s starter, Jaxson Hayes, who averaged a meager 6.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.
While the Lakers are still one of the top teams in the Western Conference, the changes made by the franchise do not suggest James has been given “a realistic chance” of winning his fifth NBA title, which again proves Perkins’ point that the 40-year-old no longer has control over the front office.