LeBron James Is Leaving the Lakers, and the Reason Is Simpler Than You Think

The night LeBron James told the Lakers he was leaving, Ben Maller wasn't surprised. The reason had less to do with basketball fit or money and more to do with something Maller described as universal: the feeling of no longer being the main attraction. "Luka was the new it guy," Maller said. "He was the new flavor. This happens all the time in life, where you work, you're the new hire, and all of a sudden everyone's like, 'Oh wow, look at you.' And then somebody else gets hired. And all of a sudden you're not the hot thing anymore."

The Third Option Problem

The Lakers' blockbuster trade for Luka Doncic fundamentally changed LeBron's role. After the Lakers got swept by the Thunder in the playoffs, LeBron himself acknowledged the shift. "I was putting in some positions I never played in my career before," he said. "Actually my life. I've never been a third option in my life." Behind Doncic and Austin Reaves, LeBron was no longer just the second option — he was the third. Maller argued that LeBron made it work during the season, but that role was never going to be sustainable for a player of his competitive makeup. "That's not in his DNA to be a third option," Maller said.

The Game Ball That Broke the Camel's Back