Stephen A. Says Lakers 'Don't Particularly Like' LeBron James Amid Rumors on Star's Frustrations

As the Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James prepare to sort out their future this offseason, ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith chimed in Thursday about the relationship between the two sides.

Speaking during Thursday's episode of First Take (beginning at the 4:10 mark of the video), Smith discussed what he has been told about how the Lakers view James:

"They don't particularly like him," Smith said regarding the Lakers' feelings on LeBron. "That's what this is about more so than anything else. They'll never admit that."

After spending the past eight seasons in L.A., the 41-year-old James is set to become a free agent this offseason. He could retire and bring a close to one of the most iconic careers in NBA history, but re-signing with the Lakers or signing elsewhere are options as well.

James still performed at a high level this season given his age, but his 20.9 points per game matched the lowest scoring average of his career, as he became the third scoring option behind Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves.

While James was good in that role despite being unfamiliar with it, ESPN's Dave McMenamin reported this week that there was at least one instance this season of LeBron feeling disrespected by the Lakers organization.

It reportedly came after the Lakers beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 127-113 on March 31. Several players reached career milestones in the victory, including James surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most career wins as a player with 1,229.

Despite that, Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka presented head coach JJ Redick with the game ball after his 100th career coaching win, which reportedly bothered James.

"James, who played the past eight seasons in Los Angeles and helped deliver the franchise its 17th championship in 2020, saw Pelinka's priority in that moment as yet another example of the Lakers taking him for granted, sources said," McMenamin wrote. "Adding to James' ire, sources said, was the fact that the past dozen or so wins in that stretch came with James willingly taking a supporting offensive role behind Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves."

McMenamin added, "And so—without even stopping to change clothes—James marched off into the L.A. night, simmering from another perceived indignation delivered by the organization that, as one source close to him told ESPN, tried to 'push him out the door,' after acquiring Dončić last season."

The report by McMenamin came about four months after ESPN's Baxter Holmes reported on Lakers governor Jeanie Buss taking issue with James at various points over the years.

Buss reportedly "privately mused" about trading James in 2022 due partly to her belief that James had an "outsized ego," and that his representation, Klutch Sports Group, was trying to take "overt control" over the Lakers organization.

Holmes reported that Buss had a problem with LeBron's "lack of accountability and the way James would shift blame onto others," especially with regard to the trade for Russell Westbrook in 2021, which proved to be a major miscue.

Even amid the controversy, James has enjoyed enormous success with the Lakers, earning eight All-Star selections and leading them to a championship in 2020, which saw him secure NBA Finals MVP honors.

There is little doubt that the Lakers are Dončić's team moving forward now, though, given that he is a superstar player and significantly younger than James at 27.

If the Lakers are clear about that and James can accept it, then perhaps there is a path forward for the two sides together, but if there is truth to what Smith is saying, it is possible the Lakers would prefer for LeBron to move on this offseason.