No Hard Feelings
Los Angeles Lakers president Rob Pelinka has opened up about LeBron James leaving the franchise. Pelinka said the departure was handled amicably and the team remains very grateful for everything James achieved during his eight years in Los Angeles.
Speaking at a season opening news conference on Thursday, Pelinka wanted to thank James before starting the new basketball year. He noted that the Lakers became regular playoff contenders, won a championship, and reached the Western Conference finals during the LeBron era.
James decided to leave the Lakers this summer to sign a two year, 8 million dollar deal with the Philadelphia 76ers. The news of his departure came as a surprise to many, especially after his previous comments.
Sudden Turn of Events
The 41 year old superstar had previously expressed his desire to stay in Los Angeles. During the All Star weekend in February, James said he was happy being a Laker and hoped to remain with the team.
Pelinka had also publicly pushed to keep James. Following the Lakers' second round playoff exit against the Oklahoma City Thunder in May, Pelinka praised James for how he honored the game and said any team would love to have him on their roster.
However, things changed quickly on June 30. Just eight hours before the official start of free agency, James' agent, Rich Paul, informed the Lakers that his client would be looking for a new team. Pelinka insisted that the talks leading to the exit were professional, diplomatic, and honest.
Looking to the Future
The Lakers are now moving forward under new head coach JJ Redick. Redick, who used to host a podcast with James, did not talk specifically about the star's departure during Thursday's press conference.
However, Redick did share his excitement about the current Lakers roster. He endorsed the team's construction, saying he feels the pieces fit together well.
Meanwhile, James has only thanked the Lakers on social media so far. Fans will get to hear his side of the story very soon. James is set to discuss his move to Philadelphia on a new episode of his podcast on Friday, and he will speak to reporters at the 76ers media day on Monday.
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