Luka Dončić Honors LeBron James After NBA Icon's Departure

Luka Dončić honored LeBron James in a post on his Instagram Stories after James informed the Los Angeles Lakers of his intention to sign elsewhere in free agency on Tuesday.

What happened?

Luka Dončić shared a photo of himself and James hugging, and included the caption, "An honor to play with and learn from you @kingjames."

James' agent, Rich Paul, told ESPN's Shams Charania on Tuesday that LeBron told the Lakers to "move on without him" because he plans to play elsewhere in 2026-27.

Why it matters for Luka Dončić

Dončić and James spent about one-and-a-half seasons as teammates after the Lakers acquired Dončić in a shocking trade with the Dallas Mavericks during the 2024-25 season.

Although they reached the playoffs twice together, postseason success eluded them, as they were eliminated in the first round in 2025 and in the second round last season.

What comes next?

Dončić was not able to play at all during the 2026 playoffs due to a hamstring injury, leaving fans and observers to wonder what the Lakers may have been able to accomplish at full strength.

Now, with LeBron departing L.A. after eight seasons and one championship, the Lakers are undoubtedly Dončić's team.

Austin Reaves is Dončić's top returning teammate after signing a four-year, $184.8 million contract extension last week, but the rest of the roster is a bit of a question mark.

It is now up to general manager Rob Pelinka to make a significant addition or additions capable of replacing the production James brought to the table.