LeBron James Reacts to ESPN Report About Relationship With Jeanie Buss, Lakers

As the Los Angeles Lakers began their eight-game road trip earlier this week, a controversial article dropped on ESPN about the sale of the storied franchise to Mark Walter and how things got ugly once again within the Buss family.

Along with a detailed report about how the record-setting sale of the team to Walter and his ownership group ripped apart the Buss family, with Lakers governor Jeanie Buss being at the center of all the drama and infighting with her siblings, superstar LeBron James was surprisingly mentioned. Reportedly, Buss has not been fond of James and all that has come with having him as the face of the franchise since 2018.

LeBron James Reacts to Report on Strained Relationship with Jeanie Buss

On Friday, following the loss to the division rival Los Angeles Clippers at the Intuit Dome, James was asked about the report that surfaced, which didn't exactly shed a good light on his relationship with the franchise and Buss, via ESPN's Dave McMenamin.

"I thought it was good, but, you know, somebody could see it another way," James said. "It's always two sides of the coin. ... How I represented this franchise, and what I wanted to do to represent this franchise since when I got here until now, it's been with the utmost respect and honor and dignity. And I would say loyalty. I mean, s---, I played here longer than pretty much any other franchise I played for besides Cleveland."

Despite all the negative things that came out in this report about James and Buss, the four-time NBA champion remains unfazed, as he's gotten used to this kind of attention over the course of his 23 years in the league.

"I don't really care about the reports, to be honest," James said. "Since I've been here, my eighth year here [in L.A.], been in this league 23 years, there's [always going to] be another article tomorrow, especially involving me."

Even before this bombshell report dropped, there already seemed to be some friction between James and the Lakers organization, leading back to the summer when he wasn't offered a contract extension heading into the final year of his deal with the team.

Rumors have been swirling for months about James' future with the team and in the NBA, with no telling what his intentions will be when his contract expires after the 2025-26 campaign.

"Quite frankly, I don't really care about articles," James said. "I really don't. I don't care about stories. I don't care about podcasts and all that type of s---. Nah, they don't bother me. I'm 41 years old, and I watch golf every day. I don't care about an article. I don't care how somebody feels about me. If you know me personally and you know what I'm about, [my teammates] know what I'm about, and that's all that matters. ... I can care less how somebody feels about me."

It seems as though no matter what James or the Lakers do, drama seems to follow with a lot more questions than answers. Only time will tell how things pan out in Los Angeles, as trade rumors have surfaced along with speculation about where James will end his playing career.