Could LeBron James have stayed with the Los Angeles Lakers had Mark Walter sold the team sooner? It's a crazy thought, but there has been some speculation on the matter. Josh Kushner and Bob Iger buying the team earlier may have actually helped the cause to keep James in Hollywood.
Dave McMenamin asked a source close to LeBron whether the Lakers selling before his decision to leave could have influenced that choice to depart. The response was not a definitive 'no.'
"Maybe, but that's tough to answer. Communication could have been better [with Iger and Kushner, compared to with Walter]. Just a different relationship. But the basketball piece was the most important, so maybe not from that standpoint."
Why Bob Iger and Josh Kushner may have changed LeBron James' decision
James knew he was no longer a priority ahead of Los Angeles' offseason. Connecting to the quote above, the communication between the front office and ownership was lacking. That had to sting.
LeBron did a lot for the Lakers during his eight years with the team. The all-time great arrived at a low point for the franchise and helped restore championship glory to the city of Los Angeles. It could not have hurt to stroke his ego a bit and remind him just how important that all was.
A source close to James told Ramona Shelburne that how the Lakers approached him this summer would be the most important factor in him re-signing. Clearly, it was not done with enough tact. That is where Iger and Kushner being around sooner could have changed the course of history.
Why LeBron James could have still ultimately left the Lakers
The second part of that quote should not be willfully ignored. McMenamin's source disagreed with the assessment from Shelburne's. The basketball piece was cited to weigh more heavily than the approach and communication.
If that is closer to the truth then James could have still departed all the same.
LeBron was asked to take a back seat to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves as the third star. The on-court results were strong, but perhaps the desire to play the role that was asked of him was not.
As James fades and gets closer to his last days on an NBA court, his passing ability remains arguably his strongest asset as a player. That legendary decision-making, basketball IQ, and control of the game would not get its full time to shine on the Lakers. Doncic and Reaves take priority for on-ball reps.
To that end, James may have simply viewed the Philadelphia 76ers as a cleaner fit. If that was the ultimate priority for LeBron, the ownership group led by Iger and Kushner providing better communication with the future Hall of Famer may not have altered destiny all too much.
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