Draymond Green comments on LeBron James leaving the Lakers.
LeBron James is an unrestricted free agent, officially leaving the Los Angeles Lakers after eight seasons.
LeBron informed the Lakers of his decision just before free agent officially opened, later saying that he wanted to play "meaningful, competitive" basketball after the Lakers were swept in the second round against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2026 playoffs.
LeBron is still deciding on where he will play next as he narrows down his options.
According to the Rich Paul Whiteboard on his podcast with Max Kellerman, LeBron seems to be down to the Denver Nuggets, San Antonio Spurs, Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and Philadelphia 76ers.
Draymond Green Praises LeBron
The Golden State Warriors have been heavily linked to LeBron since the start of the offseason, given his respect for Steph Curry and Steve Kerr, and his friendship with Draymond Green.
On his podcast, Draymond explained what LeBron still brings to the table.
“I still think people don’t understand the weight that this guy carries… the economics that he brings to a team. Anytime LeBron James is on the floor, your team has a chance to win," said Draymond.
The four-time NBA Champion said that the Lakers will miss LeBron on and off the court, as he's still an impactful player on the court, and now there is more pressure on Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. They will also miss him off the court because of what he brings to the team from a financial standpoint.
Is Draymond Right?
Off the court, if there's one team that is probably protected from not having LeBron when it comes to finances, it's the Lakers. The team still has Luka Doncic, one of the most popular players in the league, and the Lakers are arguably the most recognizable brand in the NBA.
Still, LeBron's potential final season is a big drawing point that is going to benefit any team financially.
On the court, the Lakers accomplished their goal of putting what they perceive to be better fits around Luka than the ball-dominant James, but having a player the caliber of LeBron could be felt in the playoffs when stars shine the most.
LeBron is still an impactful player, as evidenced by his play in the regular season and the playoffs. No matter which team he goes to, they are going to be better than they were the day before.
