The Los Angeles Lakers have moved on from the entire starting lineup that won a first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets in April, including — most notably — LeBron James. The 41-year-old superstar announced he was moving on from the Lakers after eight years, six playoff appearances and one championship in the purple and gold.
His departure is arguably most meaningful for Austin Reaves, who got a brand new contract to cement himself as Luka Doncic’s right-hand man, but also enters his first NBA season without James on his roster. Reaves and James developed an incredible bond over their five years as teammates, and that was evidenced by the first thing the young Lakers star said to his former co-star after hearing the news, via Edward Lewis of The California Post:
“I texted him,” Reaves said of his initial reaction to James bolting from Los Angeles, “and told him I was having a great day on the golf course until he ruined it.”
Reaves followed the joke with a more earnest message to his former teammate, hoping the two can once again bond over their shared love of golf when James returns to L.A. as a member of the road team next season.
“There’s nothing but love and respect,” Reaves said. “And when he comes to LA, I need to see him out on the golf course. Maybe play a couple holes or something.”
Despite James being a somewhat controversial figure among Lakers fans, there is no denying that it will be strange to begin a season without him on the roster. He was a mainstay of the franchise for the last eight years, and was the star that pulled L.A. out of the depth of the lottery and made them champions.
Reaves, who joined the Lakers as an undrafted free agent in 2021, immediately connected with James on and off the floor, and while his relationship with Doncic on and off the floor is also great, he will likely have to adjust to playing without the 41-year-old star. And off the court, Reaves is now considered a leader in the Lakers organization as their longest-tenured player.
Cameron Carr didn’t realize LeBron James was leaving Lakers
Lakers first-round draft pick Cameron Carr was asked about James leaving the Lakers, and he had a funny response. He was so focused on preparing for Summer League that he didn’t even realize the news had been dropped the day before free agency began.
If you love our reporting, choose LakersNation.com as a preferred source on Google.
