Things felt different at Lakers media day.
asserted
Things → feel → day
Their megastar over the last eight years was nearly 3,000 miles away, talking about trying to win a championship in Philadelphia.
asserted
megastar → talk → Philadelphia
This has never happened to the Lakers before.
asserted
This → happen → Lakers
A superstar has never chosen to leave the purple and gold.
asserted
superstar → choose → purple
Let that sink in for a second.
asserted
that → let → second
The Lakers’ biggest stars have all opted to end their careers in Los Angeles, including Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant.
asserted
stars → opt → Chamberlain
Some superstars have been traded, such as Shaquille O’Neal.
asserted
superstars → trade → O’Neal
But none have chosen to leave.
asserted
none → choose → ?
So, things felt a little odd at the Lakers’ practice facility in El Segundo on Monday.
asserted
things → feel → Monday
The Lakers have one of the top four players in the NBA in Luka Doncic, but they lost one of the greatest players of all-time.
asserted
they → have → time
Arguably Walker Kessler, who keeps talking about wanting to run through walls for the Lakers.
asserted
who → keep → Lakers
He chose to sign a two-year, $8 million deal with the 76ers in free agency in July.
asserted
He → choose → July
But this is the first time we saw it.
asserted
we → see → it
This is the first time we felt it.
asserted
we → feel → it
James was wearing a blue and red jersey.
asserted
James → wear → jersey
Some people think they’re better off.
asserted
they → think → ?
Lakers coach JJ Redick said Thursday that this is the first time since he took over the helm in June 2024 that all of the pieces fit.
asserted
all → say → pieces
Doncic didn’t hesitate when asked how he feels now that the Lakers are his team.
asserted
Lakers → hesitate → ?
“It feels great,” Doncic said.
asserted
Doncic → feel → ?
“…I was in this position in my career a lot of times, so it’s not new to me.”
asserted
it → ’ → me
Even Bronny James didn’t blink when asked about his father taking his talents across the country.
asserted
father → blink → country
“We’re men of very little words when it comes to talking about business and what we’re going to do and how we feel about each other, so there wasn’t really much to be honest with you,” Bronny James said of their discussions over the summer.
asserted
James → ’re → summer
“I mean he’s got his own path and I got my own.
asserted
I → mean → own
So he knows that I want to make a name for myself and continue my career and keep growing as a player.
asserted
I → know → player
And he knows that I want to focus on that.”
asserted
I → know → that
The world moves on.
asserted
world → move → ?
Reaves praised James for giving him the cheat code on how to care for his body.
asserted
Reaves → praise → body
Lakers general manager and president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka said Thursday that James’ tenure with the Lakers was a “great era.”
asserted
tenure → say → Lakers
But this is a new phenomenon for a team that has seen it all while under the harshest of microscopes in the NBA.
asserted
that → see → NBA
Maybe the Lakers wanted to move on from James.
asserted
Lakers → want → James
Maybe James felt underappreciated.
asserted
James → feel → ?
Maybe he wanted a fresh start.
asserted
he → want → start
James is still one of the top players in the league at age 41, having single-handedly carried the Lakers to a 3-0 lead over the Rockets in the first round of the playoffs last season without Doncic and Reaves.
asserted
James → carry → Doncic
But his time with the Lakers had turned stale.
asserted
time → turn → Lakers
Pelinka spent the offseason tailoring the roster around Doncic, including emptying out the cupboard for Walker Kessler.
asserted
Pelinka → spend → Kessler
The Lakers are ready to move forward.
asserted
Lakers → move → ?
It’s a major period of transition for a franchise that has no patience for anything but winning.
asserted
that → ’ → winning
Not only did James leave, but the Lakers experienced their second ownership change in 14 months after being under the Buss family’s reign for 47 years.
asserted
Lakers → leave → years
It’s a lot.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
Doncic is healthy after suffering a strained hamstring in April that sidelined him for the playoffs.
asserted
that → suffer → playoffs
…and 7 more, not listed.
The Aporia
