Jeanie expressed disappointment in LeBron James! His lack of responsibility greatly displeased her, and she once considered trading him to the Clippers.

On January 21st Beijing time, according to ESPN, prior to last year’s sale of the majority stake in the Los Angeles Lakers to Mark Walter, owner Jeanie had already become disillusioned with superstar LeBron James.

The tension between Jeanie and James escalated, and in 2022 she secretly considered not renewing James’s contract and even thought about trading him, with the Los Angeles Clippers privately discussed as a possible trade partner.

Jeanie privately complained that James was “overly arrogant” and was also displeased with his agency, Klutch Sports Group (which represents both James and Anthony Davis), for exerting “blatant control” over the Lakers’ management.

Jeanie had always harbored resentment over James being hailed as the team’s “savior” when he joined the Lakers in 2018, and her dissatisfaction with him intensified after the team acquired Russell Westbrook in 2021.

It is reported that Jeanie believed the trade was originally intended to please James, but it ultimately failed, with Westbrook being traded away the following year. James’s “lack of accountability and frequent shifting of blame onto others” during this process deeply frustrated Jeanie.

Additionally, reports say Jeanie felt James showed no gratitude when the Lakers used the 55th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft to select his son, Bronny James.

Insiders revealed that although Jeanie was unhappy with James, she had to face reality: a new contract had to be offered in 2024, or the team would face a major public relations crisis. Reluctantly, she agreed to the extension.

This season marks James’s eighth year with the Lakers, which is also the longest uninterrupted tenure he has had with any NBA team in his career.

Over 40 years old, James remains one of the league’s top players. Although the Lakers’ performance has been inconsistent during his time, he led them to a championship in 2020.

James continues to be a highly influential figure, but since joining the Lakers in 2018, there is now reason to believe this team is no longer “his team.”

This is because last season the Lakers made a blockbuster trade to acquire Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks, and Doncic has become the undisputed future cornerstone of the team.

Moreover, Doncic is the current absolute core of the Lakers: he leads the league in scoring with an average of 33.5 points per game and was the team’s unquestioned primary offensive option during the early 2025-26 season when James missed games due to sciatica.

Although it has been reported that Jeanie has held deep grievances against James for years, this is the first time the public has seen substantial doubts about his future with the Lakers.

James’s contract only runs through this season, meaning he could become a free agent in the offseason and join another team, or he might choose to retire at the age of 41.

As the team owner, Jeanie still holds significant power in Lakers management, but the ultimate decision lies with the majority owner Walter, so the conflict between Jeanie and James does not necessarily mean James will leave the Lakers.

Of course, the course of this season’s games will heavily influence decisions about James and the Lakers’ future. So far, the Lakers hold a 26-16 record, ranking fifth in the Western Conference and remaining one of the few teams with genuine championship potential in the West.