Luka Dončić just said goodbye to LeBron James with an emotional social media post.
On his Instagram page, Dončić shared a photo of he and James hugging with the caption, “An honor to play with and learn from you @kingjames.”
Luka Doncic just said goodbye to LeBron James with an emotional social media post. NBAE via Getty Images
Dončić shared a photo of he and James hugging with the caption, “An honor to play with and learn from you @kingjames.” Instagram/lukadoncicDončić’s message came just a couple hours after it was revealed James will move on from Los Angeles in 2026.
James, according to his agent Rich Paul, informed the Lakers this week they can officially move forward without him as he wants to play elsewhere next season.
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The decision will end a Dončić-James pairing that first began in February 2025, after the Lakers traded for Dončić in a blockbuster with the Mavericks.
The two All-Stars ultimately didn’t get to play a significant amount of games with one another as they both battled injuries throughout this past season, though their time on the floor together nonetheless clearly impacted Dončić.
It’s unclear where both sides go from here. The Lakers have made it known they’re prioritizing finding the right pieces to surround Doncic with as soon as free agency opens up later Tuesday, though their specific targets have yet to be revealed.
As for James, Miami, Golden State and Cleveland have all been rumored to be possible landing spots for the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
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Magic Johnson also chimed in on the upcoming departure. “I want to thank LeBron James and his super agent Rich Paul for taking a meeting with me back in 2018 when I was President of the Lakers and deciding to sign with us,” he posted to X Tuesday.
“He created a whole new era for the Lakers, including leading us to an NBA Championship in 2020 and all the milestones he surpassed in a Lakers jersey. I’ll always love and be grateful for him and wish him all the best in the next phase of his life, on and off the court!,” he said.
