{"id":143589,"date":"2026-01-22T08:39:59","date_gmt":"2026-01-22T08:39:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=143589"},"modified":"2026-01-22T08:40:43","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T08:40:43","slug":"update-an-nba-insider-is-hinting-that-something-major-could-be-on-the-horizon-following-the-growing-fallout-between-the-lakers-and-lebron-james-with-tensions-rising-and-uncertainty-surrounding-the","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=143589","title":{"rendered":"Update!! An NBA insider is hinting that something major could be on the horizon following the growing fallout between the Lakers and LeBron James. With tensions rising and uncertainty surrounding the future, league sources believe this situation may be far from over"},"content":{"rendered":"<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">&quot;Usually when things like this start to trickle out, something is about to go down&quot;<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ChrisBHaynes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@ChrisBHaynes<\/a> on whether a blockbuster deal involving LeBron James could be on the horizon after Baxter Holmes&#39; story with <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/talkhoops?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@talkhoops<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Full show below:<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/uGOfTUanJR\">https:\/\/t.co\/uGOfTUanJR<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/8Tt4JWD6t0\">pic.twitter.com\/8Tt4JWD6t0<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SiriusXMNBA\/status\/2014103211175715318?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 21, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h2 data-start=\"215\" data-end=\"292\">NBA Insider Chris Haynes Suggests LeBron James\u2013Lakers Rift May Not Be Over<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"294\" data-end=\"654\">The fallout from ESPN\u2019s recent report detailing an alleged rift between <strong data-start=\"366\" data-end=\"409\">Los Angeles Lakers governor Jeanie Buss<\/strong> and <strong data-start=\"414\" data-end=\"430\">LeBron James<\/strong> may only be beginning. According to NBA insider <strong data-start=\"479\" data-end=\"495\">Chris Haynes<\/strong>, the timing of the story\u2019s release could be a strong indicator that further developments are coming\u2014possibly involving James\u2019 long-term future in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"656\" data-end=\"848\">Speaking Wednesday on <strong data-start=\"678\" data-end=\"700\">SiriusXM NBA Radio<\/strong>, Haynes raised eyebrows by questioning why the report surfaced now, midway through the 2025\u201326 season and just weeks before the NBA trade deadline.<\/p>\n<blockquote data-start=\"850\" data-end=\"1063\">\n<p data-start=\"852\" data-end=\"1063\"><em>\u201cI just question, \u2018Why now?\u2019\u201d Haynes said. \u201cAnd if it\u2019s \u2018why now,\u2019 usually when things like this start to trickle out, something\u2019s about to go down. I don\u2019t know what that is, but that\u2019s usually how this works.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p data-start=\"1065\" data-end=\"1252\">Haynes\u2019 comments have added another layer of intrigue to an already complex situation involving Lakers ownership, organizational direction, and James\u2019 uncertain future with the franchise.<\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"1254\" data-end=\"1300\">ESPN Report Highlights Growing Frustration<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"1302\" data-end=\"1666\">The ESPN report described Buss as having privately grown frustrated with James over several seasons, particularly following the Lakers\u2019 2020 NBA championship. According to the report, Buss allegedly took issue with what she perceived as James\u2019 outsized influence within the organization, as well as his level of accountability during periods of roster instability.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1668\" data-end=\"1908\">While Buss has since denied many of the claims, league insiders believe the damage may already be done. Once questions about trust and alignment emerge publicly, they tend to linger\u2014especially when a superstar\u2019s contract status is involved.<\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"1910\" data-end=\"1954\">LeBron\u2019s Lakers Future Remains Uncertain<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"1956\" data-end=\"2127\">James is currently in his <strong data-start=\"1982\" data-end=\"2015\">eighth season with the Lakers<\/strong> and remains productive despite being 41 years old. Through <strong data-start=\"2075\" data-end=\"2109\">25 games in the 2025\u201326 season<\/strong>, he is averaging:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"2129\" data-end=\"2226\">\n<li data-start=\"2129\" data-end=\"2155\">\n<p data-start=\"2131\" data-end=\"2155\"><strong data-start=\"2131\" data-end=\"2155\">22.5 points per game<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2156\" data-end=\"2173\">\n<p data-start=\"2158\" data-end=\"2173\"><strong data-start=\"2158\" data-end=\"2173\">7.0 assists<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2174\" data-end=\"2192\">\n<p data-start=\"2176\" data-end=\"2192\"><strong data-start=\"2176\" data-end=\"2192\">6.0 rebounds<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2193\" data-end=\"2209\">\n<p data-start=\"2195\" data-end=\"2209\"><strong data-start=\"2195\" data-end=\"2209\">1.0 steals<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2210\" data-end=\"2226\">\n<p data-start=\"2212\" data-end=\"2226\"><strong data-start=\"2212\" data-end=\"2226\">0.6 blocks<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"2228\" data-end=\"2332\">He is logging over <strong data-start=\"2247\" data-end=\"2270\">33 minutes per game<\/strong> and continues to be a central figure in the Lakers\u2019 rotation.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2334\" data-end=\"2627\">However, James is approaching the end of his current contract, and his future beyond this season remains unclear. The emergence of <strong data-start=\"2465\" data-end=\"2480\">Luka Don\u010di\u0107<\/strong> as the franchise\u2019s new cornerstone has also shifted the Lakers\u2019 long-term priorities, potentially reducing their reliance on James moving forward.<\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"2629\" data-end=\"2655\">Why the Timing Matters<\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/basketnews.com\/image-460434-crop516x516.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2657\" data-end=\"2876\">Around the league, executives and analysts are paying close attention to the timing of the report. Stories of this magnitude typically surface after a breakup\u2014not before one\u2014which is why Haynes\u2019 comments have resonated.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2878\" data-end=\"3075\">Whether this is the beginning of a strategic shift, a precursor to trade discussions, or simply unresolved internal tension becoming public, the situation bears monitoring as the season progresses.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3077\" data-end=\"3257\">For now, no deal involving James is imminent. But as Haynes suggested, when narratives like this start to emerge, they often signal that <strong data-start=\"3214\" data-end=\"3256\">something bigger may be on the horizon<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3259\" data-end=\"3498\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">With the trade deadline approaching and James\u2019 contract situation looming, the Lakers may soon be forced to confront questions they\u2019ve managed to avoid\u2014about leadership, legacy, and what the post-LeBron era truly looks like in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>NBA Insider Chris Haynes Suggests LeBron James\u2013Lakers Rift May Not Be Over The fallout from ESPN\u2019s recent report detailing an alleged rift between Los Angeles Lakers governor&#8230; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":143595,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-143589","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Update!! 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