Luka Doncic’s first season with the Lakers came alongside months of speculation about his relationship with LeBron James, fueled in part by reports that the two did not share the same close bond James had with many of his teammates. Those rumors took a back seat on Tuesday after James announced his departure from Los Angeles, prompting public messages from Doncic, Magic Johnson and Lakers governor Jeanie Buss.

Doncic on his Instagram story wrote: “An honor to play with and learn from you @kingjames,” with a picture of the pair hugging.

Luka Doncic had publicly voiced his desire to continue alongside LeBron James and Austin Reaves. The latter signed the richest deal for an undrafted player to remain in LA. However, ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne on Tuesday reported that that was not the case initially as the team prepared a plan for the coming season for Doncic with James in the picture.

Doncic was not alone. Forward and teammate Jake LaRavia also responded to the news, writing on his Instagram Story: “Grateful for the opportunity to play alongside @kingjames,” accompanied by a GOAT emoji.

Magic Johnson, who played one of the biggest roles in bringing LeBron James to the Lakers in the summer of 2018, on X on Tuesday tweeted his appreciation.

“I want to thank LeBron James and his super agent Rich Paul for taking a meeting with me back in 2018 when I was President of the Lakers and deciding to sign with us,” the five-time NBA champion wrote. “He created a whole new era for the Lakers, including leading us to an NBA Championship in 2020 and all the milestones he surpassed in a Lakers jersey. I’ll always love and be grateful for him and wish him all the best in the next phase of his life, on and off the court!”

Johnson reportedly arranged a private meeting at James’ home on the night free agency officially opened on June 30, 2018. The three-time MVP was so concerned about violating the NBA’s anti-tampering rules that he said: “I made sure I was there an hour before the meeting. I was nervous.”

The Lakers had spent more than a year clearing salary-cap space and assembling young assets, while James was also attracted by the Lakers’ championship history. Johnson said he intended to involve James in personnel discussions, much like Jerry West and Jerry Buss had done with him during his playing days.

Things changed dramatically during James’ first season. On April 9, 2019, Johnson unexpectedly resigned as Lakers president of basketball operations without first informing James. The Akron Hammer later called the situation “weird” on The Shop, saying he had joined the Lakers after Johnson explained the organization’s vision and told him the first year would be difficult as they rebuilt the franchise.

James said: “I came here to be a part of the Lakers organization… having a conversation with Magic and really kind of breaking it down and saying how we was gonna make this Showtime again.”

Minority Owner Jeanie Buss Joins to Wish James Farewell

Lakers team governor Jeanie Buss issued a public farewell thanking LeBron James for his contributions to the franchise. The statement came after LeBron’s agent, Rich Paul, confirmed that James intended to continue his career elsewhere while the Lakers shifted their long-term focus.

Buss wrote: “We are endlessly grateful for everything LeBron has done for the Lakers organization and the city of Los Angeles,” she wrote. “He helped bring another championship banner to our franchise, and his impact on this organization will be remembered for generations. We wish him nothing but the best in the future, both on and off the court. He will always be a beloved member of the Lakers family.”

While the farewell message was warm, there was previous news of tension between both player and owner. ESPN described that there was tension between Buss and James over roster decisions, organizational influence, and accountability. She later pushed back publicly against parts of those reports.