Rob Pelinka clears air on LeBron James’ future with Lakers amid retirement buzz: “Respect his & his family’s decision”

LA Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka has commented on the rumors surrounding the future of LeBron James with the franchise. James is nearing the end of his legendary career, and the Lakers are going to respect whatever decision he makes.

Speaking to reporters during a press conference on Saturday to announce Luka Doncic’s extension, Pelinka had to segue to answering an inquiry about James. Pelinka confirmed his communication with Rich Paul and would love to see “The King” retire as a Laker.

“Rich has been great,” Pelinka said. “The dialogue with him has been open and constant. … In terms of LeBron’s career, I think the No. 1 thing we have to do there is respect his and his family’s decision in terms of how long he’s going to play. I think that’s first and foremost.

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The Lakers GM added:

"We want to respect his ability to come up with his timetable, and that's really important. If he had the chance to retire as a Laker, that would be great."

There have been a lot of rumors about LeBron James' future this offseason. While James opted into the final year of his contract with the LA Lakers, he has been linked to a potential trade to teams such as the Dallas Mavericks and Cleveland Cavaliers.

A recent photo of James working out at the old LA Clippers training facility also went viral, fueling rumors about him joining the Lakers' crosstown rivals. Even his newfound passion for golf seems to indicate the end is coming sooner than later.

LeBron James missing from Luka Doncic's press conference

Luka Doncic is now the official face of the LA Lakers franchise after signing a three-year, $165 million extension. The Lakers announced via a press conference on Saturday that "Luka Magic" is in Hollywood for the long haul.

Current team governor and minority owner Jeanie Buss was in attendance, as well as general manager Rob Pelinka. Coach JJ Redick was all smiles along with Lakers players like Maxi Kleber, Marcus Smart, Gabe Vincent, Deandre Ayton, Adou Thiero, Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes.

Notable teammates, mainly LeBron James, like Austin Reaves, Dalton Knecht and Bronny James, were all absent from the press conference. While it's possibly not required to attend the event, showing support to a teammate should help improve their chemistry for next season.

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About the author

Juan Paolo David

Juan Paolo is a journalist for Sportskeeda who covers the NBA and WNBA. He's been writing about basketball since 2015 and has been with Sportskeeda since 2021.

Juan's allegiance lies with the Golden State Warriors and his journey with the Warriors began with their memorable victory over the Lakers in 2000, and he experienced the successes of the 'We Believe' era and the rise of Steph Curry. 

What Juan loves most about basketball is its ability to evoke a range of emotions, from adrenaline-fueled excitement to the highs of victory and the lows of defeat. To ensure complete accuracy in articles, he conducts thorough research before writing his articles.

The Warriors' victories in the 2022 and 2017 championships hold a special place in Juan's memories, as well as iconic moments like Baron Davis' dunk over Andrei Kirilenko and Goran Dragic's performance in the 2010 Western Conference semifinals.

Off the court, Juan enjoys watching football, TV and movies, caring for his numerous cats, and cooking whenever time permits.

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