LeBron James may be an unrestricted free agent, but this is not a decision he gets to make alone. The Los Angeles Lakers hold just as much power. And their silence has become impossible to ignore.
With the June 30 open market fast approaching, the franchise has yet to make an offer to the 41-year-old superstar. That uncertainty has now sparked a bold message from a Lakers legend. It’s the kind that could reshape the conversation around LeBron’s future.
Because of his honest takes about James’ future, Byron Scott has faced backlash from fans of the Purple and Gold. But the 65-year-old former Laker noted that while LeBron can still play and showed that he still has it in him during the postseason, it isn’t about James’ ability to play.
It is more about the Lakers looking into the future beyond the 22-time NBA All-Star and building the team around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Speaking on the latest episode of his podcast on Monday, Byron Scott claimed the financial upside of offloading James outweighs the loss of his basketball experience on the roster.
“I’ve said it for a long time that I think they should part ways, and I think LeBron should go back to Cleveland, play a year there or two, or whatever the case may be,” Scott said.
“Bring in some fresh meat, some young talented guys, you can save $50+ million off the salary cap to bring in some younger guys because they’re young. They’re aggressive. They hungry. They’re deep. They ain’t going nowhere,” he added.
In Scott’s view, the team cannot rely on their old formula if they want to contend. The way he sees it, the competitive Western Conference will force Los Angeles to adapt. Otherwise, the franchise will remain stuck in a familiar cycle of reaching the playoffs only to suffer another early postseason exit.
The Los Angeles Lakers added Luka Doncic in 2025 and confirmed his future last August by giving him a 4-year, $165 million extension. Meanwhile, they secured Austin Reaves with a 4-year, $185 million extension last week. Now, LA needs to add more pieces, possibly young stars, to solidify the frontcourt.
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