When Luka Doncic was traded from the Dallas Mavericks, it marked the end of a strong on-court partnership with Kyrie Irving—but not their personal bond. “We’ve texted back and forth,” Kyrie said after the trade sent Luka to the Lakers. “We’re loyal to each other’s families now.” That connection was on full display this week during Kyrie’s 24-hour Twitch stream to celebrate his new three-year deal with Dallas—when Luka called mid-stream.
The exchange was a perfect glimpse into their friendship. “Okay. What do you want? What do you want?” Kyrie asked, laughing. From the other end, you could hear Luka’s playful jab: “Streamer. Streamer.” After Kyrie joked about putting him on camera, Luka, who was up at 4 a.m. his time, promised to support the stream. “Hey, I will donate now,” he said. “200, for real.” Kyrie, laughing, held him to it. “200 subs? All right, we gonna see. I’m gonna hold you to it.”
It’s the kind of easy, genuine chemistry that fans love to see, and it’s consistent with their public interactions. Just a few days prior, after Kyrie posted photos from a yacht vacation, Luka slid into the comments with a sarcastic, “Thanks for the invite on the yacht.” It’s clear that even though they’re on different teams now, their friendship remains as tight as ever.
Luka Doncic called Kyrie while he was streaming pic.twitter.com/Z0eN5ZYDcH
— Kyrie Center (@kyriecenterig) July 12, 2025
While Kyrie and Luka’s bond appears stronger than ever, Luka’s current teammate, LeBron James, is dealing with a much different situation in Los Angeles. The arrival of Luka Doncic has fundamentally shifted the Lakers’ priorities, and according to recent reports, it’s creating a noticeable tension between LeBron and the front office.
The core of the issue, as detailed by NBA insider Shams Charania, is a conflict of timelines. “LeBron James… he’s at the point of his career, 40 years old, gonna be 41. He wants to play for a championship next season,” Charania explained on SiriusXM NBA Radio. “His agent, Rich Paul, told me that very directly. He wants a realistic chance to compete for a championship… And he feels clearly that the Lakers are more in a futuristic mindset.“
That “futuristic mindset” is all about building around Luka, the new face of the franchise. The trade that sent Anthony Davis to Dallas for Doncic was the first clear signal. “The moment that that trade was made… it was like, all right, AD’s joining a win-now team in Dallas. Luka Dončić faces the franchise for the next 8 to 10 years. That was really the vision,” Charania said.
The Lakers’ offseason moves have only reinforced that vision. They signed Deandre Ayton and Jake LaRavia—solid young players who fit Luka’s timeline, but they haven’t made the kind of splashy, win-now move that would satisfy a player like LeBron. As Charania put it, “they’re still trying to figure out how do we compete and contend for a championship,” while LeBron is looking for a sure thing.
(This is a developing story…)
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