As a former Lakers fan, I stopped supporting the team when they drafted Bronny James because that move told me everything I needed to know about their priorities. And this isn’t temporary, like some YouTubers saying they’ll stop being fans until LeBron retires. Even after LeBron leaves, I’m done with the Lakers. The way they’re running the team right now just doesn’t align with a real commitment to winning, like DeMarcus Cousins pointed out—they’re not serious anymore.
I want to offer a true Lakers fan’s perspective because I feel like our voices are drowned out by what the media or other influencers say. They’re all caught up arguing about whether Bronny deserved to be drafted or debating LeBron’s dream to play with his son. But let me tell you, real Lakers fans don’t care about any of that. They don’t care if Bronny deserved it or not, and they definitely don’t care about LeBron’s personal goals. What they care about is one thing: winning.
Unfortunately, winning doesn’t seem to be the Lakers’ priority anymore. Their goal this season appears to be giving LeBron the satisfaction of playing with his son. That’s it. The roster is essentially the same. They’ve made no significant moves, other than adding Bronny, and while I do like Jalen Hood-Schifino, it feels like they’re more concerned about narratives than building a winning team.
People keep asking, “Who else could they have drafted at pick 55?” Well, how about Quincy Olivari or any number of undrafted players with more potential than Bronny James? But no, they played Bronny for three minutes just to stage a photo op for a documentary that’ll come out after LeBron retires. They even brought in Ken Griffey Jr. and his father for the perfect father-son moment. And LeBron, as usual, tries to act like it wasn’t about him—when it was all about him and his son.
LeBron is one of the biggest showmen in the NBA, and moments like this are all for the cameras. JJ Redick, who tried to downplay it by saying he “had his back turned” when LeBron and Bronny checked in together, is just as much part of the act. They planned that moment, timed it perfectly for the subs so the cameras could capture it all. It’s a soap opera now, just one big show for the cameras, and Lakers fans are tired of it.
Lakers fans, the real ones, care about one thing: what are we doing to win? We don’t care about father-son moments or feel-good stories. This team isn’t built for winning anymore. Rob Pelinka and the front office keep promising moves that never happen. They’ve pushed back trades and missed opportunities, waiting on free agents who never come because, frankly, nobody wants to play with LeBron. He’s the common denominator, and once he’s gone, maybe then the team can start attracting serious talent again.
I get it, the “Lakers tax” makes trades hard, and I’m not saying they should make reckless moves. But I’m convinced they’ve let opportunities slip by because they’re too focused on keeping their picks. Sure, you want assets for when LeBron leaves, but you also need to build for the present. And keeping last season’s core players is fine for continuity, but that alone isn’t going to make them championship contenders.
Congratulations to them for winning their first home opener in six or eight years—great, give them a round of applause. But from a true Lakers fan perspective, this isn’t enough. Real Lakers fans aren’t happy. And don’t get it twisted: there’s a huge difference between Lakers fans and LeBron fans. Don’t confuse the two. We care about winning, not the spectacle.