LeBron James had already kept everyone on their toes saying any decision about his playing future would come in late summer. But while he is busy spending the week reliving old memories with his 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers championship teammates in Scotland, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst’s broke a news back home. Apparently the Lakers and James are actively “going back and forth” on a new contract. Now while many are wondering about the years or the dollars, former teammate DeMarcus Cousins is worried about something else. 

“This has nothing to do with what he’s, you know, produced on the court,” Cousins said on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back. “I think LeBron is LeBron. I think he’s, you know, earned every right to demand whatever he wants. It’s more so just about, you know, treating him correctly, you know, as this, you know, story comes to an end. And that’s more so what I’m worried about. And I don’t—I’m not necessarily sure that the Lakers will, you know, do it the right way.”

This comment came when FanDuel’s Run It Back co-host, Lou Williams, asked him point-blank if the deal was a good idea.  Cousins, who played for the Lakers and with Bron during the 2019-20 season did initially hesitated. He said, “This is tough.” But when Williams and Chandler Parsons quickly threw in context, noting James “averaged 20 balls, shot 52 from the field” to cap off “a hell of a year,” even as he “turns 42 in December,” Cousins publicly brought forward his biggest concern: whether the franchise will afford the basketball icon the dignity he deserves in the twilight of his career.

That uncertainty is tied to the very questions currently surrounding the two sides.

James, through his agent Rich Paul, is reportedly seeking a veteran max deal that aligns with his double-digit production this past season, as well as with the Lakers finishing in the fourth seed despite the injuries in the roster. However, the rumors have swung between the Lakers wanting to keep him and wanting to dump his salary.

The negative chatter is why Boogie is “worried” his old friend won’t get the farewell tour he deserves. “You’ve heard the rumblings, you heard the rumors, you know, they may not necessarily want him back… This is LeBron James we’re talking about, and to even have that type of chatter surrounded—around his name, I take it as disrespect. So, I’m more so concerned on that part. I just want him to be treated correctly on the way out. And I’m not sure the Lakers are the team to do it.”

He doesn’t say it, but many in the NBA world are scarred by the ugly way Chris Paul was forced into retirement before he completed his farewell tour with dignity. The Clippers proved that teams aren’t obligated to give the pageantry to a retiring player, much less when it’s actively focused on a new cornerstone like Luka Doncic.

Yet there is a whole generation of fans who want a grand closure for LeBron’s era, and there’s very little guarantee that’s on the Lakers’ priority list. Like Boogie, many won’t want another figurative bloodbath in LA, much less for King James.

Lakers stretched by LeBron James & Co’s demands

The “chatter” that Cousins labeled as fundamentally disrespectful to LeBron James connects to Brian Windhorst’s latest reports on the situation.

“I think LeBron’s intention is to play, and I think the focus right now is making a deal with the Lakers,” Windhorst said. “Right now, he’s allowed to negotiate with the Lakers, and I believe they are negotiating, I believe they’re going back and forth.”

If this is accurate, then any hopes of a poetic reunion with the Cavaliers to end where it all began will be squashed. At the same time, James’ family doesn’t have to relocate from LA, which is effectively home now. Windhorst is also positive that the Lakers are keen on keeping him. But James’ demands could be an obstacle.

There’s a question about the long-term roster flexibility of handing a max-level contract to a player approaching his 24th NBA season, especially after the team was recently bounced in the postseason by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Giving him a veteran max could restrict their cap space. But if he takes a discount, he wants the savings to secure a championship-calibre lineup.

Currently, even a potential team-friendly contract for Bron won’t be enough to pay Austin Reaves, who analysts say is worth $185 million now. Meanwhile, Luka Doncic made his demands clear. He wants a big man who can catch lobs and shooters to share the offensive load. Rob Pelinka’s priority likely will be giving Doncic what he wants over James.

This corporate hesitation adds to Cousins’ concerns regarding how the franchise handles its aging icon. Notably, New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson took a massive, historic pay cut to allow his front office to load up on championship depth. While the Run it Back hosts noted that teams will likely use Brunson’s sacrifice to pressure future max free agents, Cousins firmly countered that “LeBron is in a category of his own.”

James’ peers have a clear directive for Rob Pelinka: navigate the Lakers’ tight financial map with absolute reverence for the veteran superstar, or risk permanently tarnishing the franchise’s reputation.