Whether it was in Miami, the homecoming in Cleveland, or the crown-claiming title run in Los Angeles, franchises have revolved around LeBron James. But this summer, for the first time in 22 seasons, the Lakers are moving like they don’t need to anymore. Despite James opting into his $52.6 million contract for 2024–25, there’s been no press release, no social media push, not even a blip from the Lakers’ usually PR-conscious front office. 

Rob Pelinka’s recent moves have only amplified the disconnect. By acquiring 25-year-old Deandre Ayton—who’s coming off a down year in Portland—and Jake LaRavia, a low-usage forward with limited playoff upside, the Lakers seem to be pivoting toward youth. That wouldn’t be unusual for a team that just watched its 39-year-old star opt in if that same team didn’t also happen to have Luka Doncic reportedly on deck as the future centerpiece. From a front office lens, this might look like long-term planning. From James’ side, it feels a lot like waiting in limbo—again.

And then there’s Bradley Beal. The former Wizards star hasn’t quite fit in Phoenix, weighed down by a bloated contract and inconsistent role. But recent reports suggest Mat Ishbia is mulling a waive-and-stretch buyout, one that would free Beal from the Suns and give a contender a shot at acquiring him without absorbing his entire $111 million deal. For the Lakers, that changes the math. Instead of trading multiple future assets, they could get a plug-and-play scorer on a discount. Suddenly, the team’s reluctant summer starts to look like calculated patience. And for LeBron James—who’s made it no secret he wants to win now—it might be just enough to buy one more season of belief. Addressing the possibility, this is what veteran insider Jovan Buha had to say:

 “I think he’s (LeBron) gonna buy in. I think it’s gonna work out… I think for LeBron, there’s a lot of things going on in this situation. But I think he will be a Laker starting September.” Sure, Lakers still seem unwilling to trade their draft assets to go all-in on the win-now vision, which has been “LBJ’s motto” during most summers.

But the addition of Beal would give him a legitimate shot at winning another title, with the core of Luka, Ayton, Reaves, Hachimura, and Beal. While this scenario gives a ray of hope to the Laker Nation, Pelinka’s recent actions raise major concerns!

Lakers’ decision to avoid massive LeBron James announcement hints at potential turmoil

Well, James’ trade rumors initially sparked when Rich Paul publicly stated, “We understand the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future. We do want to evaluate what’s best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career. He wants to make every season he has left count, and the Lakers understand that, are supportive, and want what’s best for him.” However, several reports confirmed that the four-time champ has not requested a trade from LA.

But the concerning part is, the Lakers have yet to make the official announcement of LeBron opting into his player option for next season. Sure enough, this decision has raised alarm bells among the hoop community, as one NBA executive told Hoops Wire, “Yeah, usually when a star player like LeBron opts into his contract, the team announces the move. I find this very strange. Something is definitely going on behind the scenes.”

While the chances of LeBron James getting traded are bleak, partially because of his massive salary, the Lakers not announcing his player option opt-in is strange and even hints at internal turmoil. “I think LeBron and the Lakers’ front office are butting heads. They haven’t had an impressive offseason at all, and then there are rumors that Rob is saving cap space for 2027. That’s just idiotic when you have LeBron and Luka,” the executive added.

Obviously, going into the season with dual vision will not work in anybody’s favor. So, the Lakers’ front office has a tough decision to make—to go all in right now and capitalize on the LeBron window or plan for the 2027 offseason and build around Luka. What do you think they should do?