The title ‘King’ sounds like the perfect hymn of praise. And as the years flow by, that title slowly turns into a chant. That chant creates its character. And that character lives and breathes through LeBron James. Now, you can’t blame the Los Angeles Lakers star for believing in those chants from the crowd. For the last two decades, he has served the floor, the game, and the eyes of the audience. Yet, standing on the edge of his career, he seems a bit (read: a lot) desperate. And maybe, this desperation, or as many fans are calling it, ‘passive aggression’, has developed from the fact that the Lakers’ front office is slowly moving on.

You might be wondering: Why are they moving on? Is Bron not as effective as he used to be? Maybe those 4 rings, 4 MVPs, the 2004 ROTY, and other accolades and records he’s made and broken like basic decor hold no value. No. That’s not the case. Instead, it’s the tricks that he’s playing, and the Lakers’ biggest name, Luka Doncic, seemingly gives confidence to Rob Pelinka and Jeanie Buss. And maybe that’s why they’re walking towards the Lakers era, where there is no LeBron James. And they are ready.

Nothing is working on LA’s front office as LeBron James continues to be passively aggressive

ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne and Lakers Talk’s Andy Kamenetzky cracked open the vault of LeBron James’ mind, right as he steps into a role he has never been in before in 22 seasons. One of the callers, in the most unfiltered manner, pointed out some recent sightings that told a story no one had heard before. You see, he was working out in front of a Clippers logo, and he also congratulated Brandon Weems on being promoted to Assistant GM of the Cavs. Suspicious? “This is, to me, this is about when you are being passive-aggressive. The best thing about being a passive-aggressive is you could walk around and pretend like, ‘I didn’t do anything. I didn’t actually say anything,” Shelbourne slammed.

Meanwhile, Kamenetzky chipped in. And he said, “LeBron always sets himself up in these things with plausible deniability. And again, it gets back to how calculated it is. I think the problem, though, for LeBron is that you do all of this stuff because you’re trying to create a threat involved with your exit.” But the problem is that the threat doesn’t carry as much power as it used to. “The problem for LeBron right now is that they have Luka. I’m not saying that LeBron leaving wouldn’t be a big deal. By definition, it’s a big deal, and he’s still a great player. But it’s not going to get the Lakers to panic the way it might have before Luka was there.”

Last Saturday, Doncic signed a three-year, $165 million maximum contract extension with the franchise, with a player option in 2028. On the other hand, Bron landed a $52.6M player option for the 2025-26 season. Had the Lakers extended James, he could have been looking at a fresh two-year deal worth $106 to $110 million by age 42 in 2026, taking his Lakers earnings past $210 million. That kind of commitment would have crowned him the aging king on a platinum throne.

So, Luka’s extension is, in a lot of ways, the bag of old tricks that LeBron used his entire career. “The bag of old tricks don’t work anymore. It’s not effective, though. Before, it was effective because it actually got people frightened at the prospect of him leaving,” AK added. Kamenetzky further shrugged at the drama, pointing out the league’s new safety net. If LeBron walks, the Lakers still have Luka. The panic button stays untouched. Yes, his exit would echo, but it no longer sends the empire into a tailspin.

“This is the first time in his career where a team has the exit ramp before he does. I’m not even saying the Lakers are trying to drive 100 miles an hour towards the exit ramp,” the Lakers insider strongly pointed out. “I don’t think it’s impossible that LeBron could be on the Lakers past the 2026 season. I’m just saying they clearly have an exit ramp, and he doesn’t. And I think for the first time in his career, he doesn’t know what to do.”

King James turns 41 this December, and he doesn’t seem to be retiring anytime soon. But with the current development around young talents in the Lakers squad, the front office might not bat an eyelid if Bron asks for a trade. Sure, there would be teams hungry for the King, but the current reality stands and revolves around Luka Doncic. And that’s more reality than the 40-year-old can accept.

LeBron is tightly holding on to his title

The 2003 No.1 draft pick, LeBron James, walked into the NBA to change the sport like never before. Everyone knew that the 18-year-old from Akron was here to rule, hence The King seemed the most befitting title for him. And yes, he ruled. He owned every game, every dunk, every score, and every era. From Cleveland to Miami, to Cleveland, and finally to LA. Twenty-two years of pure glory. But standing on the brink of retirement, the King’s habits haven’t changed. And Ramona Shelbourne sees a pattern.

She said, “LeBron has been the king. Dubbed himself the king. He is known as King James, right? Kings do not ask for your love and affection. They demand it. It is their birthright. And so I don’t think he has shifted his thinking, even since he got to LA. He has demanded it because he’s just that good.” The ESPN reporter added, “Because you will give it to him whether he asked for it or not. He is that good. Anybody will do anything to get him on their team.”

Shelbourne painted LeBron as a monarch long used to subjects bowing without question. His talent once commanded automatic devotion, but the tide has shifted. Now, the King must earn what was once freely given. The cheers grow selective, and admiration demands more than a name. Even royalty must work to keep the court enchanted. “Now you’re asking for them to love you. God save the king, whatever you want to say. But it’s not coming back towards him like that. People aren’t falling all over themselves like they usually do.”

The crown still gleams, but the throne feels colder. LeBron James stands in unfamiliar territory, where old tricks fall flat and Luka’s rise steals the room’s attention. The Lakers have their exit ramp, and the King senses it. Now, glory alone will not command the kingdom’s devotion.