A seismic shift in the atmosphere surrounding the surging Los Angeles Lakers has been exposed by a voice from LeBron James’s past, alleging a profound disconnect between the King and the franchise’s new crown prince, Luka Dončić. The alarm was sounded not by external critics but by former teammate and three-time All-Star Deron Williams, who cited a pattern of troubling “little s*t” in LeBron’s behavior toward the MVP frontrunner.
This controversy ignited following the Lakers’ jarring 17-point home loss to the Phoenix Suns Monday night. While the defeat snapped a seven-game win streak, the story was LeBron James’s stunningly passive performance: 10 points on 3-for-10 shooting, a season low. His disengaged body language and apparent frustration told a deeper story, one Williams analyzed on his podcast.
Williams pointed to specific, glaring incidents, including a moment in a recent Clippers game where Dončić was shoved to the floor. LeBron, standing mere feet away, looked directly at his fallen teammate but offered no hand to help him up, instead walking blankly toward the bench. Backup center Jaxson Hayes was the one to confront the offender, earning post-game praise from Dončić.
Further evidence mounted during the Suns loss. LeBron was seen repeatedly ignoring first-year coach JJ Redick’s attempts to get his attention, choosing instead to bark at opponents. He also failed to assist teammate D’Angelo Russell after a fall, a break from his two-decade reputation as the ultimate supportive teammate. “That’s not LeBron,” Williams stated, diagnosing the behavior as a sign of an unhappy superstar.
The core issue appears to be a seismic power shift. The Lakers’ winning streak was engineered by the Luka Dončić-centric offense, with the ball in his hands over 90% of the time. LeBron has ostensibly embraced an off-ball, secondary role to preserve his longevity and maximize Dončić’s prime. Yet, his post-game comments hinted at discontent.
When asked if he needed the ball more, LeBron replied, “We go with what’s been working… we have opportunity to change pitchers.” This diplomatic non-denial has been interpreted as leaving the door open to altering an offense that currently orbits Dončić. The implication is a legend potentially struggling to cede the throne.
The Lakers now face an existential tightrope. Do they force adherence to a successful, future-proof system around Dončić and risk LeBron’s simmering discontent erupting into full toxicity? Or do they pivot back toward James, potentially disrupting the team’s rhythm and long-term vision to placate a legend in his final act?
All eyes will be on every interaction between James and Dončić in the coming games, starting with a tough road test in Toronto. The basketball outcome may become secondary to the behavioral autopsy. The foundation of the Lakers’ championship aspirations now faces its first major stress test, not from opponents, but from the silent language playing out between its two brightest stars.
The league is watching to see if a dynasty built for the future can survive the present tensions of a generational transition. The answer will be found not in box scores, but in the space between a helping hand offered and one withheld.
