Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The Los Angeles Lakers are currently 18-7 and sit just a half game behind the Nuggets and Rockets for the second-best record in the NBA Western Conference. So you would think that the vibes would be great around the organization.
But that seems far from the case.
Last week, Rich Paul, the founder of Klutch Sports and agent for LeBron James, said he didn’t believe the Lakers were contenders and refused to shut down talks of a LeBron trade to the New York Knicks.
Now, James is openly defying second-year head coach JJ Redick (who he was instrumental in getting hired), and it nearly cost the Lakers a game against the Phoenix Suns.
LeBron James Takes Technical Free Throw From Luka Doncic And Misses
Late in Sunday night’s game between the Suns and Lakers, Dillon Brooks hit a 3-pointer to put Phoenix ahead 114-113. James appeared to foul Brooks on the play as well, but no call was made.
After the play, Brooks ran toward James and bumped him in the chest, earning a technical foul and an ejection.
The teams then huddled, and when they broke the huddle, Reddick believes that Doncic would take the free throw earned from the technical fouls. Instead, James took it, and missed it.
JJ Redick said he thought Luka was going to shoot the late technical free throw when they broke the huddle. LeBron, instead, made the call.
“Luka should have shot that.”
— Jacob Rude (@JacobRude) December 15, 2025
“Luka should have shot that,” Redick told members of the media after the game.
On the ensuing possession, James was fouled while shooting a 3-pointer, and after missing the first, he made the last two to put Los Angeles ahead 115-114. The Lakers would hold to win 116-114. But after the game, James didn’t agree with Redick’s view of the situation.
“S—, I just walked up to the free throw line,” James said. “Why wouldn’t I? I mean, I’d have been okay with Luka taking it, too. We’ve both been in pressure situations. But, I mean, I just took it. Unfortunately, I missed it. But I made up for it.
James had been 7-of-12 from the line at the time, while Doncic was 13-of-14.
While it seems minor, and the Lakers did get the win, you have to wonder why a team that is winning so much is still dealing with those sorts of communication breakdowns.