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LeBron James shook the sports world on Tuesday when it was revealed he’s returning for a record 24th NBA season, but he won’t play again for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Apr 18, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) reacts against the Houston Rockets in the second half during game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
While we await news of where he’ll play next — possibly with Stephen Curry on the Golden State Warriors — the Lakers and fans are sounding off on James’ legacy with the Purple and Gold, and two very different narratives are emerging.
The Lakers released a statement from governor Jeanie Buss honoring James as “one of the greatest athletes in history.”
“We will always be thankful for his eight years with the Lakers – including the title he led us to in 2020 under the toughest imaginable circumstances and the countless records he broke in purple and gold,” Buss wrote. “We wish him all the best in the future, both on the court and off. He will always be a cherished part of the Lakers family.”
Similarly, Luka Doncic took to Instagram to say it was “an honor to play with and learn from you.”
Not all Lakers fans, though, have been as kind.
LA Sports Report’s Doug McKain put a simple question to social media after the news broke: “ARE YOU HAPPY THAT LEBRON JAMES’ CAREER WITH THE LAKERS IS OVER?!”
The overwhelming answer, it appears, is yes, taking more than 70% of the vote.
Even athletes like former Los Angeles Dodger Justin Turner appeared happy about the news, with Turner tweeting “Let’s go Lakers” with a celebratory emoji.
X user @PrimeTimeTroy said that “Happy is an understatement for me.”
Others responded with numerous gifs of dancing and of famous goodbyes from television and movies, such as Ice Cube’s “Bye Felicia” from “Friday.”
Despite that antipathy, though, many fans acknowledged that saying goodbye is hard, especially after James helped bring home the 2020 NBA title.
“Happy to move on,” wrote @fan_boy84. “But also grateful for all he has done. Won’t boo him. Just glad to be moving on.”
“It’s time to move on, he’s 42 years old, obviously he’s not the player [h]e was 20 years ago even 10 years ago, it [frees] up a lot of money,” wrote wrote @AntonioGuzxx. “The Lakers will be better for it, thank you LeBron for the eight years you were with the lakers organization.”
The post Lakers Praise Departing LeBron James; Fans, Not So Much appeared first on LA Sports Report.
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Apr 18, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) reacts against the Houston Rockets in the second half during game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
While we await news of where he’ll play next — possibly with Stephen Curry on the Golden State Warriors — the Lakers and fans are sounding off on James’ legacy with the Purple and Gold, and two very different narratives are emerging.
Lakers pay tribute to ‘one of the greatest athletes in history’
The Lakers released a statement from governor Jeanie Buss honoring James as “one of the greatest athletes in history.”
“We will always be thankful for his eight years with the Lakers – including the title he led us to in 2020 under the toughest imaginable circumstances and the countless records he broke in purple and gold,” Buss wrote. “We wish him all the best in the future, both on the court and off. He will always be a cherished part of the Lakers family.”
Similarly, Luka Doncic took to Instagram to say it was “an honor to play with and learn from you.”
Not all Lakers fans, though, have been as kind.
Lakers fans divided on LeBron’s legacy
LA Sports Report’s Doug McKain put a simple question to social media after the news broke: “ARE YOU HAPPY THAT LEBRON JAMES’ CAREER WITH THE LAKERS IS OVER?!”
The overwhelming answer, it appears, is yes, taking more than 70% of the vote.
Even athletes like former Los Angeles Dodger Justin Turner appeared happy about the news, with Turner tweeting “Let’s go Lakers” with a celebratory emoji.
X user @PrimeTimeTroy said that “Happy is an understatement for me.”
Others responded with numerous gifs of dancing and of famous goodbyes from television and movies, such as Ice Cube’s “Bye Felicia” from “Friday.”
Despite that antipathy, though, many fans acknowledged that saying goodbye is hard, especially after James helped bring home the 2020 NBA title.
“Happy to move on,” wrote @fan_boy84. “But also grateful for all he has done. Won’t boo him. Just glad to be moving on.”
“It’s time to move on, he’s 42 years old, obviously he’s not the player [h]e was 20 years ago even 10 years ago, it [frees] up a lot of money,” wrote wrote @AntonioGuzxx. “The Lakers will be better for it, thank you LeBron for the eight years you were with the lakers organization.”
The post Lakers Praise Departing LeBron James; Fans, Not So Much appeared first on LA Sports Report.
Continue reading...
