In the same season that the Los Angeles Lakers committed to Anthony Davis as the new franchise player, they traded him for Luka Doncic. It was as bold a decision as any in recent memory, albeit with many applauding the Lakers' ability to acquire Doncic when no one expected it to be an option.
Unfortunately, during the first offseason of the Doncic era, the most prominent talking point in Los Angeles is LeBron James—and the future his dispute with the organization may endanger.
James and the Lakers are in the midst of a public feud. James is reportedly unhappy with the manner in which Los Angeles transitioned to a new franchise player, though not the general act of doing so, as well as how the front office handled his contract situation.
According to Ramona Shelburne and Brian Windhorst of ESPN, the impact of the James saga has translated to free agency, as Brook Lopez opted to sign with the LA Clippers over the Lakers due to the apparent dysfunction among the purple and gold.
"Free agent center Brook Lopez, who league sources said had strongly considered the Lakers and the potential starting role, grew wary of the uncertainty around James' future with the team and opted to sign with the rival LA Clippers, where he will be a backup."
Missing out on Lopez may not be devastating to those who viewed him as a poor fit, but the Lakers' dysfunction is trending in a direction that could cost it the ability to make meaningful additions via free agency in 2025 and beyond.
Considering Doncic reserves the right to enter unrestricted free agency in 2026, that's an alarming thought to consider.
Lakers developing negative reputation in free agency—during Luka Doncic's first offseason in Los Angeles
Much could change between now and the 2026 period of free agency, when Doncic will have completed his first full season with the Lakers. Perhaps the team will have experienced such resounding success that Doncic re-signing will become an inevitability.
It's also possible that Pelinka and head coach JJ Redick will have sold Doncic on their vision by the extension deadline, thus rendering the biggest concern obsolete.
Even if Doncic re-signs, however, there's reason to be concerned about whether or not future free agents will view the Lakers as an ideal landing spot. A superstar in their prime is certainly a strong selling point, but Los Angeles needs to be able to offer more than complementing its franchise player.
If the public tension between James and the Lakers continues to boil over, then the front office will run the risk of alienating more free agents than it already has.
It's also worth noting that Los Angeles has either missed the playoffs or lost in the first round in four of the past five seasons. The top of the roster has changed dramatically during that time, but much of the supporting cast remains the same from the teams that were Round 1 and out in 2024 and 2025.
If the Lakers fail to at least make it out of the first round of the playoffs while simultaneously struggling to mend its relationship with James, the challenge of adding meaningful talent would be even more difficult to navigate in a competitive 2026 market.
Perhaps this all much ado about nothing, with Lopez spurning the Lakers due to their recent spat with James being an isolated incident. If the concerns that Lopez expressed are shared throughout the NBA, however, the Lakers will be facing a potential disaster.
The pressure is officially on for Los Angeles to not only resolve the James saga, but win enough games to appeal to both Doncic and free agents in 2026.