LeBron James' Absence From Luka Doncic's Contract Announcement Sparks Buzz

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LeBron James' Absence From Luka Doncic's Contract Announcement Sparks Buzz originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
In a move that can only be described as one of the biggest of the offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers were able to sign Luka Doncic to an extension.
The deal, worth $165 million, keeps Doncic in Los Angeles for three more years before he is due for a five-year, $400 million-plus deal in 2028, according to The Athletic. While this was a monumental day for the Lakers, who traded for Doncic in February, there was one player noticeably absent at Doncic's press conference.
Four-time NBA MVP LeBron James was not among the players photographed in attendance on Saturday
NBA Fans Had Plenty of Thoughts After Noticing LeBron James' Lack of Attendance
In a photo shared to X, players such as Maxi Kleber, Marcus Smart, Gabe Vincent, Deandre Ayton and Rui Hachimura were seen smiling alongside Doncic. While it was a big day for Doncic and the Lakers, many fans flooded to the comment section to call out James.
"Except LeBron," pointed out one fan.
"Ofc LeBron isn't there, he to busy training at the clippers facility," joked another.
"While lebron playing golf in fog," said another.
"no bron," asked a fourth.
"LeDrama notably absent…Shocker," commented another.
Why Was LeBron James Not at Luka Doncic's Contract Extension Press Conference?
While Austin Reaves also wasn't pictured along with a handful of other players, James' absence spoke volumes on how this offseason has gone for him and the Lakers.
It's unclear what course he was playing, but James shared multiple videos of himself on a golf course drenched in fog. James has also yet to comment on Doncic's extension to the media or even acknowledge it on social media.
LeBron James Trade Rumors
In June, James' agent Rich Paul told ESPN's Shams Charania that the Lakers seemed to have a different mindset than the 40-year-old star.
"LeBron wants to compete for a championship," Paul told ESPN. "He knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all. We are very appreciative of the partnership that we've had for eight years with Jeanie [Buss] and Rob [Pelinka] and consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career."
Following this comment, James was spotted at the Cleveland Cavaliers' facility on July 4.
James did address the photo upon its virality, expressing that he lives in Cleveland part-time. However, this wasn't the only time he was spotted working out at a facility associated with another team.
This past week, he shared photos on Instagram of himself working out in front of the Los Angeles Clippers logo. While it was later confirmed that Klutch Sports now owns the facility, which used to belong to the Clippers, it's hard to imagine that James wasn't hoping to elicit some sort of reaction with the photos.
What's Next for LeBron James?
It's unclear if James actually wants to be traded or is just toying with the Lakers, but for the first time in his career, he doesn't really have any leverage. He opted into his $52.6 million player option in June, which makes his asking price via a trade or buyout extremely unreasonable.
In addition to the fact that he chose to pick up the option, the Lakers don't have to trade him if they don't want to. Not to mention, ESPN's Bobby Marks reported one day after he picked up his option that there isn't a market for the aging star.
So, whether he likes it or not, it appears James will continue to be a Laker. He also may owe Doncic an apology for missing his big day.This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 2, 2025, where it first appeared.