Weren’t the Los Angeles Lakers supposed to set the tone for free agency? With LeBron James opting into the final year of his deal, it looked like they were doing just that. But the excitement quickly took a turn when Rich Paul, LeBron’s longtime agent and confidant, dropped a bombshell. Speaking on James’ desire to chase more championships, Paul raised eyebrows—not for what he said, but for what he didn’t. Because if LeBron still wants to win, why didn’t Paul mention doing it in purple and gold? And amid the LeBron/Lakers debate, Kendrick Perkins has some thoughts to share.

The CEO of Klutch Sports stated that he and LeBron would be evaluating what’s best for him at this stage of his career. Unsurprisingly, these words from James’ agent did garner a lot of attention by then, forcing many to believe that the veteran superstar might be on his way away from Southern California. However, Paul tried to clarify that his statement doesn’t necessarily mean that a trade was over the horizon, but the damage was done.

Amid this chaos, LeBron’s former teammate has come forward with what seems like a bold solution for both parties. “Listen, here’s the thing, right? The Lakers have moved on. It’s a new sheriff in town. It’s W & B. It’s Bill Duffy. It’s Luka Doncic. They’re running the show with a new ownership. It’s solely about the Lakers and what’s happening next with Luka and surrounding Luka.” James’ former teammate Kendrick Perkins said. The former NBA player stated that King James is no longer the central figure in LA; instead, it’s Luka Doncic’s time.

Perkins then gave some strong advice to the Lakers veteran. “If you look, if you’re Bron, I say you give them to a training camp. If it’s not a title-contending roster, then you move on. Y’all go your separate ways. Whether that’s a trade, whether that’s a buyout, and then you go play your last years, whatever.” He suggested. Perk emphasized on the fact that LeBron James should give the Lakers management until the training camp that starts in September to make all the moves to construct a title-contending roster.

But what if James is still not satisfied? Perkins simply stated that, if that’s the case, both the LA Lakers and he should part ways. It does seem like a fair agreement, to be honest. There’s no doubt that the Purple & Gold are currently a work and progress, and James is heading toward the twilight of his career. So, if the Lakers are not willing to build a roster around Luka Doncic and James, he should take his talents elsewhere with the hopes of having a better shot at the Larry O’Brien. But will LeBron listen to Perkins’ advice?

Only time will tell, as there seems to be a rift forming with the LA-based franchise.

LeBron James and another teammate are allegedly frustrated with Luka Doncic

If LeBron James leaving Los Angeles after inking a massive $52.6 million deal wasn’t enough to worry the Lakers Nation, there’s more coming their way. Remember when Luka Doncic arrived in Southern California, how excited LeBron James and the rest of the LA roster were with the idea of playing alongside him? Everyone was buzzing and rightly so, given James’ solid on-court chemistry with the Slovenian point guard. However, it seems behind the curtains, things weren’t as good as they seemed.

NBA Insider John Gambadoro has revealed that, reportedly, LeBron James and Austin Reaves are not happy with sharing the floor alongside Luka Doncic. “LeBron does not like playing with Luka. Reaves does not like playing with Luka. Reaves does not like getting the ball with two seconds left on the shot clock. LeBron is not fond of playing with Luka. The Lakers are going to turn their attention to build around Luka, not LeBron.” He said. This is huge!

Meanwhile, it’s also surprising how the team dynamics have taken a shift in Los Angeles. What makes things even more interesting is that James has always praised Doncic. Which is quite rare, given that James, historically speaking, has called out his teammates. As for Reaves, he and Doncic seem to do just fine on the court. In fact, some might even say the pair is one of the best offensive backcourt duos in the league.

Well, there’s no way of confirming the truth until either of the players comes out and speaks in public, as we monitor the situation in Southern California closely.