Kenny Smith Shuts Down Claims "Lakers Took LeBron James For Granted"
Kenny Smith defended the Los Angeles Lakers against claims they took LeBron James for granted while fresh questions emerged about Bronny James’ future with the franchise heading into another uncertain offseason.
- Kenny Smith says Lakers always supported LeBron James
- Bronny James’ role becomes major offseason storyline in Los Angeles
- Dwyane Wade’s old LeBron Heat story resurfaces amid Lakers dra
LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers are once again facing heavy offseason drama after reports claimed the relationship between both sides has become uncomfortable. But former NBA champion Kenny Smith does not believe the Lakers ever took LeBron for granted. While speaking about the growing tension, Smith reminded fans how the franchise consistently moved pieces around James during his time in Los Angeles. From bringing in Anthony Davis to drafting Bronny James, Smith argued the Lakers repeatedly tried to support the NBA superstar throughout his eight-year run with the team.
Kenny Smith Defends Los Angeles Lakers After LeBron James Frustration Reports
Kenny Smith strongly pushed back against the recent criticism aimed at the Lakers organization. Speaking about LeBron James' situation, Smith compared today's NBA environment with his own experiences alongside Michael Jordan at North Carolina and Hakeem Olajuwon with the Houston Rockets during his playing career.
Smith said, “In college I played with Michael Jordan, and in the NBA with Hakeem Olajuwon. Never, ever in their tenures that I played with them, did I ever hear the words ‘my team,' or ‘taken for granted.'” He later added, “When they needed to draft your son, they did it.” His comments came after ESPN reported LeBron felt unwanted following several front-office decisions.
The conversation became even louder after stories resurfaced from LeBron's Miami Heat days. Dwyane Wade recalled how Pat Riley once removed LeBron's favorite cookies during a team flight. Wade said, “I saw Bron. He was like a 5-year-old kid when the cookies weren't on that plane.” The story again highlighted how small frustrations can slowly build inside long player-team relationships.
Bronny James Future With Los Angeles Lakers Becomes Important Offseason Storyline
The Los Angeles Lakers are entering another uncertain summer, but Bronny James' future has quietly become one of the team's most interesting situations. With LeBron James still undecided about his own future, questions are naturally growing around how the franchise plans to develop Bronny moving forward.
The Lakers are still built to compete immediately, which makes Bronny's development more complicated than that of normal young players. During the 2025-26 G League season with South Bay, Bronny averaged 15.6 points while shooting 56 percent from the field and 45.6 percent from three-point range. Those numbers showed real growth as both a shooter and secondary playmaker.
Still, the bigger challenge is timing. The Lakers cannot fully afford long developmental mistakes while chasing championships in a loaded Western Conference. At the same time, Bronny's improvement gives the organization a reason to stay patient. With LeBron's future unclear after the Oklahoma City Thunder playoff sweep, this offseason could shape both father and son's next chapter in Los Angeles.