Craig`s restaurant on Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood features two entrances. One is for those comfortable with the paparazzi often gathered outside this well-known celebrity spot, while the other, a private back entrance, offers discretion. Inside, the tinted windows and subtle lighting provide the privacy needed for important business discussions, often accompanied by high-end wine and upscale comfort food.
On May 3rd, just four days after the Los Angeles Lakers were eliminated from the playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves, a reserved booth at Craig`s hosted four key individuals: the Lakers` new superstar point guard, Luka Doncic; his longtime manager, Lara Beth Seager; Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka; and coach JJ Redick. LeBron James, who had been the focal point of almost every Lakers decision and strategy for over seven years, was absent from this meeting.
Pelinka, Redick, and Seager entered through the front, while Doncic used the back entrance for privacy. However, all four exited through the front door together. A waiting crowd of paparazzi and fans quickly spotted them, capturing videos that soon appeared on TMZ and social media. Doncic even paused to sign autographs before leaving.
Their choice of exit was as clear as the meeting`s purpose: Doncic is now the public face of the franchise, and the Lakers wanted both him and the wider world to recognize this shift.
Sources told ESPN that over a bottle of Opus One, Pelinka and Redick detailed their strategy for building the team around Doncic`s unique skill set. They also navigated the complexities of the NBA`s new collective bargaining agreement, explaining how they planned to manage the salary cap, specifically addressing issues like the second apron, the value of preserving cap space to potentially acquire another star player closer to Doncic`s age, and the team`s remaining draft assets. Pelinka brought a thick binder, indicating it was a working dinner focused on detailed planning.
Historically, this type of binder, containing offseason plans, long-term strategies, and aspirations, would have been presented to James at similar meetings when discussing potential targets like Anthony Davis or Russell Westbrook – players the team ultimately acquired – and others they pursued but did not land.
Pelinka had been in frequent contact with Doncic and Seager in the three and a half months since the young star was acquired from the Dallas Mavericks in one of the NBA`s most surprising trades.
Early interactions included Pelinka meeting Doncic directly from his private jet just hours after the stunning February trade. Later that week, Pelinka consulted with him before attempting a trade for Mark Williams, an athletic young center Doncic had mentioned wanting to play alongside (though this trade was later rescinded).
However, the mid-season timing limited opportunities for extensive relationship building. The Lakers, and the entire league, are keenly aware of the significant decision Doncic faces starting August 2nd, when he becomes eligible for a contract extension.
Regardless of other roster moves, such as signing Deandre Ayton as the starting center or adding depth on the wing with Jake LaRavia, the Lakers` most critical offseason priority is securing a long-term commitment from Doncic.
The star player could opt for free agency next summer under his current deal, a situation any franchise wants to avoid. The Lakers aim to prevent this by signing Doncic to a new contract. He is eligible for an extension of four years and $223 million, which the Lakers will undoubtedly offer. However, he might prefer a three-year, $160 million deal to better position himself for future contracts. The Lakers would happily accept either, though they may need to be patient; Doncic is competing for the Slovenian national team in the high-intensity EuroBasket this summer, which concludes in mid-September, potentially delaying his NBA contract decisions until after the tournament.
But immediate contract specifics were not the focus of the May dinner at Craig`s. Instead, plans were made for future visits to Doncic in Europe later in the summer. Potential teammates he might like to play with were discussed, and the team`s style of play and organizational culture were examined.
Behind the privacy of the tinted windows, the Lakers` leadership sent a clear message to the star they hope will guide their future: This is what being the face of the franchise in Los Angeles could entail if he chooses to stay.
This message appears to have been well-received. Lara Beth Seager told ESPN, “The Lakers leadership team has been incredibly welcoming and supportive of Luka since we arrived in L.A. We`ve spent a lot of time talking and getting to know each other over the last few months, and we`ve formed a strong working relationship. Championships are won when you work together. We all share that same goal.”
By exiting through the front door together, the franchise effectively made this message public: They are ready to formally commence the Luka Doncic era in Los Angeles, signaling the eventual conclusion of the LeBron James era as the primary focus.
Less than two months after that pivotal dinner with Doncic, a different, though equally important, statement was made by the player who was not invited that night – the team`s emeritus face of the franchise. This statement came via Rich Paul, James` longtime agent and close confidant.
Ahead of James` decision to pick up the final year and $52.6 million player option on his contract on June 30th, Paul issued a statement to ESPN`s Shams Charania: “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.”
Despite the news confirming James` contract for the 2025-26 season, this statement instantly caused a stir across the NBA. It read like a valedictory message, hinting at a larger, impending strategic move. The massive trade that brought Doncic to Los Angeles had created sudden new realities, including the prospect of James` contract becoming an expiring deal for the first time in his extensive 23-year career. This was the strongest indication yet that the end of his tenure with the Lakers was nearing.
Executives throughout the league scrambled to interpret its meaning.
One Eastern Conference executive was convinced James intended to leave Los Angeles.
Several teams, including the Golden State Warriors, who reportedly tried to trade for James in 2023-24, considered making offers again, according to sources.
A Western Conference executive speculated it was a deliberate expression of displeasure because the Lakers had not initiated discussions about a contract extension for James.
Another executive from the Western Conference believed it was an attempt to pressure the Lakers` front office into going “all-in” on building a championship contender for the upcoming season, deviating from their perceived strategy to maintain salary cap flexibility for the summers of 2026 and 2027 after James` salary is off the books.
Whatever the true reason, the statement had an immediate impact.
Free agent center Brook Lopez, whom league sources believed was strongly considering the Lakers and a potential starting role, grew concerned about the uncertainty surrounding James` future with the team and ultimately signed with the rival LA Clippers, where he will serve as a backup.
Before the statement was released, Paul reportedly gave advance notice to both Doncic and the Lakers organization.
Sources indicate Paul contacted Seager, with whom he has a working relationship, to extend an “olive branch.” He wanted to ensure that James genuinely appreciated Doncic`s admiration, that Doncic understood the business aspect of the league, and that the statement was not a reflection on their experience playing together. Paul also reportedly suggested he would communicate any significant future moves James might make.
James reportedly understood the Lakers` decision to capitalize on the opportunity to transition to a younger superstar. However, from James` perspective, sources suggested some nuances were overlooked during this process. Unlike Doncic, who arrived via trade, James had actively chosen to come to Los Angeles in 2018 when the team was struggling, having missed the playoffs for five straight seasons. Just two years later, James had been instrumental in securing the franchise`s 17th championship.
Paul also had the task of formally informing the Lakers that James intended to exercise his player option for the final year of his contract, particularly after the team did not engage in any substantial discussions about extending his deal by a year or two, unlike previous occasions during his time with the Lakers, according to sources. It was then that he informed the organization about the upcoming public statement.
The Lakers had already made *their* own statement by not offering James a contract beyond the upcoming season. It was undeniably clear that the 21-time All-Star`s time as the central figure for the Lakers now had a predetermined end date, even if the conclusion of his record-setting NBA career did not yet.
Whether the 2025-26 season marks James` final season in the NBA is a decision only he can make. But if he envisioned the kind of celebrated “Hollywood ending” traditionally given to Lakers legends, the organizational timeline pointed to a specific window.
That window was Spring, 2026.
The signal was clear: Luka Doncic was transitioning in, and LeBron James was transitioning out as the team`s primary focus.
The Lakers would, of course, likely honor him with a celebration similar to Kobe Bryant`s farewell tour in 2016, should James ultimately decide to retire.
However, for the first time in his extensive 23-year NBA career, a team was not depicted as desperately trying to keep James beyond his current contract by leveraging its future assets.
The Lakers` position, while not entirely unexpected by James, according to sources, was reportedly not easily accepted.
Sources suggest that since the trade for Doncic on February 1st, the Lakers have conveyed this shift in focus through a series of subtle actions perceived as “microaggressions”:
They reportedly did not give him significant advance notice about the major trade that brought Doncic to the team – a move that signaled a shift away from the existing core strategy, which James sources said he eventually forgave due to his respect for Doncic and understanding of the need for secrecy.
Within days of acquiring Doncic, Pelinka attempted to pair him with Mark Williams, an athletic young center – something Davis and James had requested for years without the team obliging.
When the Buss family sold a majority stake to Mark Walter, Doncic was reportedly given advance notice and publicly congratulated the new ownership; James was not given the same notice and made no public comment.
The most significant signal, described as the “coup de grâce,” was the Lakers` decision not to offer James an extension, leaving him with an expiring contract status – a rare situation for a player of his stature.
In response to this perceived treatment, James has reportedly used cryptic messaging, a tactic he`s employed previously when frustrated with his team.
After the Lakers` playoff loss, when asked if the change in team dynamics following the Doncic trade impacted him, James gave a pointed “No comment,” referencing a past instance where Anthony Davis spoke publicly about a team need and was subsequently traded.
After picking up his player option and issuing the widely discussed statement, James fueled speculation further with social media posts that appeared to reference his time with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
On July 4th, he reposted a photo of Lakers broadcaster Allie Clifton in a Cavaliers jersey with the caption “Proper attire.” Clifton previously worked for the Cavs during James` second stint there. Two days prior, he posted a video playing golf in Cleveland wearing a hat that said, “Welcome Home.”
Officially, the explanation for the hat was support for a friend`s new media company called “Homecoming.” Unofficially, sources close to him suggested a different meaning, stating, “Nothing LeBron does is a coincidence.”
While a precise plan for the conclusion of his career hasn`t been publicly revealed, James` history of carefully planning his contract structures and maintaining options to move teams years in advance suggests his actions are rarely without a larger strategy.
The timing of these events coincided with anniversaries of his past significant career decisions, such as the “Decision” to join the Heat and the return to Cleveland.
Between 2014 and 2018, James signed four different contracts with varying structures and objectives, designed to maximize financial leverage and future flexibility.
However, similar to how Doncic`s perceived long-term plan in Dallas was abruptly altered by the trade, James` own anticipated plans for the end of his career have reportedly been disrupted.
James has been building a long-term home in Beverly Hills for years, and his children attend school and his businesses are based in Los Angeles, where he spends the majority of his time.
The trade for Doncic, coupled with the ownership change, initiated a sequence of events that clearly indicated the Lakers were shifting their focus and priorities to someone else`s future.
James has never before been in a situation like this.
Throughout his career, arguably more than any other NBA player, he has maintained control over his destiny through strategic foresight and unprecedented influence.
Now, nearing the end of his career, an unexpected turn of events – a “plot twist” – seems to have occurred, even one he reportedly didn`t fully anticipate.