After a quiet summer, LeBron James spoke to the media at almost 41 years old, entering a season under a 52.6-million-dollar contract that expires at the end of the year. During the Lakers’ media day, he made it clear that his future will not depend on Luka Doncic.

He said that how much longer he will play has nothing to do with Doncic and that his motivation is to keep his body ready to play alongside him every night. He added that the decision about his future will be made by himself, his wife, and his daughter.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Lakers have shifted their focus toward building around Doncic. In recent months, the Slovenian star met privately with team president and general manager Rob Pelinka and head coach JJ Redick, with LeBron not present.

Doncic also played a key role in recruiting former No. 1 pick Deandre Ayton and 2022 Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart. The team’s new direction became official with Doncic’s three-year, 165-million-dollar contract extension, which he celebrated with a trip to Las Vegas that LeBron did not attend.

An Open Future for James

For the first time since arriving in Los Angeles, LeBron is no longer the centerpiece of the organization and does not hold a player option in his deal. He will be an unrestricted free agent when the season ends.

Despite being left out of recent major decisions, LeBron said he is excited about the roster the team has built following the pressure his agent applied earlier in the offseason. He expressed enthusiasm about getting to work and seeing how far the group can go.

LeBron’s message was clear: while he recognizes Doncic as the new leader of the franchise, his decision to continue playing or retire will be made strictly by his family and himself. His immediate future remains open and entirely in his own hands.