Commentary: LeBron remains inscrutable, but Lakers should be in win-now mode

Imagine if your dentist paused late in your next appointment and said: "I know you're brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing every night. I understand that, but I value a cavity-free visit." Would you be confused? Would you wonder if your dentist was about to hawk some new anti-cavity miracle mouthwash? Or what if your high school math teacher, in the weeks leading up to your final exam, said: "I know you're studying and doing your homework every night. I understand that, but I value a realistic chance of passing the test." Would you think this teacher was speaking in code and about to slip you some answers? Or if an NBA superstar's agent, announcing his 40-year-old client was opting into the final, $52.6 million year of his contract, said: "He knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all." I actually paused a beat mid-quote, thinking, no way. Has LeBron James restructured the deal to make it easier for the Lakers to build a championship-caliber roster in his 23rd season? But nah, nothing so drastic. Just LeBron being LeBron. Cryptic, subliminal, aggressively passive aggressive till the end, which is still TBD. A player can change numbers, but a tiger can't change his stripes; and even if LeBron's fastball loses a little velocity, he'll always play hardball – as secure in the ol' G.O.A.T. conversation for how he's leveraged his power as for any of his on-court exploits. Historic for how boldly he and agent Rich Paul have brokered every situation throughout LeBron's illustrious career. You know how Luka Doncic reacted after the news broke that the Buss family had agreed to sell the majority ownership of the Lakers to Dodgers controlling owner Mark Walter and TWG Global? How the Lakers' new superstar took to social media to let the world know he was all in? "The Lakers are an amazing organization. I'm looking forward to meeting Mark and excited about the future. I am also grateful to Jeanie and the Buss family for welcoming me to LA, and I'm happy that Jeanie will continue to be involved. I look forward to working with both of them to win championships!" Classy stuff, sure. But LeBron would never. In fact, LeBron did not. Instead, in comments to ESPN's Shams Charania, Paul focused not on who'll control the organization's $10 billion purse strings going forward, but on the front-office folks with whom LeBron's camp has had such sway for all of his stay in L.A.: "We are very appreciative of the partnership that we've had for eight years with Jeanie [Buss] and Rob [Pelinka] and consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career." That partnership produced a championship in 2020 and a Western Conference finals berth in 2023. It led to the acquisition of Anthony Davis … and Russell Westbrook. The employment of four coaches and Bronny James, last season's 55th draft pick, on a four-year, $7.9 million deal. They compensated LeBron as handsomely as they could, duh – but also, they declined to pair Davis with the true center he desired, not since that title run. And then those partners traded Davis for Doncic last season. Just like that, for the first time, LeBron wasn't the most important player in his organization. It's weird, after almost a quarter of a century in power, to think that the King's voice wouldn't carry as widely as before. He's had the ball in his court almost every season; the game's best player contractually guaranteed usually to have the option, to have the right to decide whether to stay or go, which put a heavy onus on his employers to consistently prove themselves to him. It was his call again this offseason, and so he made it like he always does — with his particular brand of subliminal bluster: "We understand the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future," Paul told ESPN. "We do want to evaluate what's best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career. He wants to make every season he has left count, and the Lakers understand that …" I imagine the Lakers' brass getting word that 'Bron was opting in, as reports suggested he would, seeing Paul's statements that accompanied the news, and then shrugging and getting back to work trying to make this season count. Because LeBron is right, the Lakers absolutely ought to be in win-now mode. They surely should be concerned with appeasing and pleasing their star player — because at this point, Doncic will be eligible to become an unrestricted free agent in 2026. And as straightforward as his signaling has seemed that he wants to stay put, that doesn't change the fact that there is a heavy onus on the organization to prove itself to their 26-year-old superstar. His aging, royal co-star is still going to play his game, though, whether or not he's on the throne.