Lakers: LeBron James Argues That He Does Not Make Personnel Decisions With the Team

Most people around the league believe that LeBron ultimately decides which players his team lands, but he argued against that on Friday night.

For as long as he has been in the league, LeBron James has had a reputation. It's what earned him the nickname LeGM across social media over the last decade because it does seem like he makes the decisions with any franchise he plays for. 

But maybe that's not necessarily true with the Lakers. It seems like he does, given the number of players that have come through Los Angeles represented by Klutch Sports, LeBron's agency. 

But on Friday night after a loss to the Clippers, James argued that he doesn't get to make any of those decisions. He also made it seem like he doesn't really push hard for anyone, which would go against most reports surrounding every offseason and trade deadline. 

"I don't push the buttons. They ask for my opinion, and I voice my opinion and what I believe. But I don't press any buttons. That's what our front office is for, and that's what our leadership group is for."

After the Lakers stood still at the last trade deadline, reports came out suggesting that James was not happy. That came on the heels of Rob Pelinka publicly saying that both he and Anthony Davis were on board with the direction the team was heading. 

Another report came out about James and his future with the Lakers in the days following. That one suggested that James could push the team to make a flurry of trades during this upcoming offseason, something that could devastate the franchise long-term. 

So what role does LeBron really play in player personnel decisions? We might not know until long after he is retired.