Shaq’s Strong Reaction to LeBron’s Lakers Exit Includes a Deandre Ayton Jab

The LeBron James era of the Los Angeles Lakers is over, with the four-time NBA champion choosing to take his talents to the Philadelphia 76ers this summer, sparking what would be a drastic roster overhaul for the team he left behind with Luka Doncic now at the helm.

James sudden departure as a free agent has gotten mixed reactions from Lakers fans as well as NBA fans in general, with some thinking the future Hall of Famer is ring chasing in an attempt to close the gap in the GOAT race with Michael Jordan and other believing it was time for him to move on with Philadelphia being the better fit, playing alongside stars Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid.

Shaq Defends LeBron’s Decision to Sign With 76ers

With the dust now having settled on James’ decision to head to Philadelphia, Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal, who changed teams frequently in the twilight of his NBA career, chimed in on whether he thinks James is ring chasing after eight seasons in Los Angeles.

O’Neal thinks Doncic’s arrival in Los Angeles marked James’ end with the team, via Owen Crisafulli of Heavy.

“No, it’s what we call the business of basketball,” O’Neal said. “When you get older, and you’re still playing at a high level, you’re still trying to demand high money; sometimes as a franchise you have to say, ‘Do I want to pay this guy this much money for the next two years, or do I wanna go get younger?’ I knew when they brought in Luka Doncic, they were looking to start over.”

After pulling off the blockbuster trade for Doncic that rocked the NBA to its core, the Lakers clearly showed their hand in terms of wanting to build around a younger superstar, with James now in his 40s.

The move made perfect sense, with Doncic being in his prime and one of the elite players in the league today, especially considering the fact that Lakers didn’t have to give up a lot to bring him in outside of Anthony Davis.

Shaq Takes a Shot at Deandre Ayton’s Lakers Stint

Along with defending James’ decision to head elsewhere in free agency after nearly a decade in Los Angeles, the legendary center couldn’t help but take a shot at Deandre Ayton for his lackluster season with the Lakers.

Doncic made it clear to the Lakers brass that he needed a considerable upgrade at the center position, with Ayton simply not cutting it during the 2025-26 campaign. It became one of the team’s top offseason priorities, and they were able to address it with the acquisition of rising star Walker Kessler.

“It’s only one great center and a lot of good centers,” O’Neal said. “I don’t know what the Lakers offense is gonna look like yet, but you got guys … they can do a lot of stuff around the rim, unlike ‘Dominayton,’ who didn’t do anything.”

Although Ayton put up decent numbers in his lone season with the Lakers, he was anything but a game-changer for Los Angeles.

As for Kessler, the 24-year-old is a significant upgrade in the paint, who thrives on both ends of the floor and is arguably the best center in the league in terms of fit playing alongside Doncic moving forward.

Only time will tell if the Lakers made the right move with Kessler, as it came at a cost, but the team does seem to be headed in the right direction with a youth movement underway in Los Angeles.

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