Former Los Angeles Lakers head coach and legend Byron Scott believes the franchise needs to make a difficult decision this offseason, and that decision involves moving on from LeBron James.
Speaking on the ‘Byron Scott’s Fast Break’ podcast, Scott argued that the Lakers cannot build a long-term championship contender while continuing to pay LeBron superstar money entering his age 42 season.
“You’re getting paid 50 million. You’re 41, 42, 43 years old, right? You’ve got a three headed monster like you’re talking about. If the Los Angeles Lakers want to move on and be a championship team for the next five, six, seven years, you’ve got to build around Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves.”
“You can’t do that if LeBron James is still here. He’s 50 million. That comes off the cap. You can go get two really good basketball players, younger basketball players, that can come in and help. So again, all you haters out there saying, oh, he’s hating on LeBron. No. This is basketball. This is logic. This is what makes sense for the Lakers.”
“Now again, I’m not in those meetings. I don’t know what they’re going to do. But if I’m in those meetings, we move on from LeBron James no matter how he does this year. It doesn’t matter. He comes off 50 million off the cap. We can go get two guys that can really come in here, that are younger and less expensive, and help us get to the next level.”
Scott made it clear he was not attacking LeBron personally. Instead, he framed it as a basketball and salary cap decision. LeBron is currently on a $52.7 million deal and is set to become a free agent this summer. According to Scott, that cap space could instead be used to bring in multiple younger players around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
The timing of the comments comes as the Lakers sit down 0-3 against the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round of the playoffs. Many analysts expected the Lakers to get eliminated in the first round by the Houston Rockets because of Doncic’s hamstring injury and Reaves’ oblique injury.
Instead, LeBron carried the Lakers through a six-game series victory despite being 41 years old in his 23rd NBA season. In the 2026 playoffs, James has averaged 23.1 points, 7.8 assists, and 6.1 rebounds while continuing to handle massive offensive responsibility without Doncic available.
Still, the Thunder series has exposed the Lakers’ limitations. Oklahoma City has overwhelmed Los Angeles with depth, athleticism, and relentless defense. Even while the Lakers have played hard, the gap between them and the top teams in the West has looked significant.
The biggest unknown remains LeBron’s future. Rich Paul recently said James still has another five years left, while NBA commissioner Adam Silver stated he has received no indication LeBron plans to retire.
If the Lakers lose Game 4, there is a real possibility fans may have watched LeBron’s final game in a Lakers jersey. There is even speculation this could potentially be his final NBA game entirely, though most around the league still expect him to continue playing.
Several teams are already being linked to him if he leaves Los Angeles. The Cleveland Cavaliers remain the emotional favorite for a final homecoming run, while the Golden State Warriors continue getting mentioned as a dream destination alongside Stephen Curry.
Regardless of what happens next, Scott’s argument reflects the difficult reality facing the Lakers. LeBron is still elite for his age, but building a long-term contender around a 41-year-old superstar on a max-level salary becomes increasingly difficult, especially in a loaded Western Conference.
