Luka Doncic said LeBron James’ latest offseason obsession—playing golf—has a quiet, peaceful beauty to it. The comment lands amid larger questions about James’ future with the Los Angeles Lakers as he heads toward free agency.
For the Los Angeles Lakers, the biggest question of the summer isn’t about shot-making or rosters yet. It’s about LeBron James—and what comes next.
James is set to hit free agency this year, and speculation has been building that he could decide to leave the Lakers to finish out his legendary career elsewhere.
That uncertainty has made even James’ offseason routine feel like a storyline with stakes. Recently. he’s taken to social media to post numerous videos and pictures of himself playing golf. with results that have been described as mixed. He’s also been back on a course recently with some members of the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers championship team. as they marked the ten-year anniversary of their NBA Finals win over the Golden State Warriors.
Inside the Lakers’ orbit, Luka Doncic offered a different kind of insight—less about mechanics and more about mood. Speaking on James’ newest offseason obsession, Doncic said the game has become harder to fit in simply because of distance. “We played once or twice. Right now a bit harder cause we ain’t close, but… Like you’re in nature 4 hours, sometimes even 8 hours. I play 36 holes, which they say is not smart, but I still play it… You’re in nature, no phone, peace. Something most beautiful,” Doncic said, via 24ur.com through Luka Updates on X, formerly Twitter.
The quote matters because it arrives as the Lakers increasingly talk about their next era through Doncic, not James. The club has clearly pivoted from James to Doncic as the key building block of their franchise moving forward.
Los Angeles will now try to strengthen around that heliocentric foundation this offseason, aiming for a more balanced roster that includes more shooting, perimeter defense, and frontcourt depth.
Still, free agency remains the problem that won’t go away. Some have argued that the only way for the Lakers to reshape things with James in the mix would be for him to either leave or return on a significantly cheaper contract. That also sits alongside another concern: worries from some pundits about Los Angeles potentially having to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on Austin Reaves.
By the time the offseason moves fully into action, many answers are expected to come quickly—starting with the decision that may determine what kind of Lakers team is built next, and who is at the center of it.
Luka Doncic LeBron James Los Angeles Lakers golf obsession free agency Austin Reaves 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers NBA Finals Golden State Warriors
Golf obsession?? Bro needs to be practicing layups lol.
Honestly I get it, golf is peaceful. But the part about LeBron maybe leaving makes this kinda stressful. Like why is everyone talking about his vibe instead of what he’ll do with the Lakers?
Doncic said it’s harder because they ain’t close… so that means LeBron is mad at Dallas or something? Wait I thought he was just playing golf on social media. Also 36 holes isn’t smart?? tell that to every guy at my course who can’t walk 18 without dying.
This whole Lakers future thing is confusing. One minute it’s “next era through Doncic” and then it’s “free agency remains the problem” like LeBron is the problem? If he stays, they can’t afford Reaves?? That sounds like cap math to me. I just want them to stop posting golf and start winning, that’s all.