"It's Luka's team moving forward": Charles Barkley can't hide his feelings about LeBron James' Lakers future

LeBron James' future with the LA Lakers has been a huge talking point this offseason, with many claiming the team is transitioning away from him. NBA legend Charles Barkley shared his thoughts on the subject as he couldn't hide his true feelings about James' Lakers' future.

Since Luka Doncic's trade to Los Angeles in February, the Lakers have two household stars on their roster. However, the recent additions of Deandre Ayton and Jake LaRavia have hinted at them rebuilding around the Slovenian.

With James in the final year of his contract, talks of a renewal have not taken place. He has a $52.6 million contract with the Lakers, and no team will want to pay that sum for a 41-year-old star in the current market.

In an interview with Yahoo Sports' Jason Fitz on Friday, Charles Barkley was questioned on James' involvement with the Lakers. He believed it was Doncic's team, but showed faith in the four-time NBA champions' capabilities.

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"Well, he's on the downside of his career, it's Luka's team going forward, LeBron is such a great player, he can play without the ball. Luka has to have the ball to be successful, so that's why it worked," Barkley said.

However, the former MVP believed the Lakers' problems didn't lie in Doncic or LeBron's contracts but in their Western Conference rivals.

But hey, they've got bigger problems than those guys. They got to worry about the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Houston Rockets and the Denver Nuggets," he remarked.

Barkley's warning to the Lakers is accurate, as the reigning champions, alongside the Rockets and the Nuggets, will prove to be the biggest test for the Lakers.

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LeBron James reportedly gets a deadline on his Lakers exit, according to reports

After signing with the Lakers in 2018, it seems LeBron James's time in Los Angeles is reaching its climax. His future has been deliberated throughout the offseason, with all signs pointing to a potential exit in 2026.

NBA Central shared an excerpt from an ESPN article on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, which claims James has a deadline set on his Lakers exit.

"The Lakers had already made their statement in not offering James a contract beyond this season ... Whether the 2025-26 season is to be James' final season in the NBA is up to him." But if he wanted the kind of Hollywood ending that only the Lakers can give legends of the game, the release date was set. Spring, 2026. Luka Doncic in, LeBron James out," the report read.

According to the report, LeBron James' exit will come in the spring of 2026, with Luka Doncic being deemed as the next face of the franchise.

Edited by nagpaltusharn25