LeBron James' time with the Los Angeles Lakers will reportedly come to an end this summer amid rumors of his soured relationship with the team's governor, Jeanie Buss.

The NBA star has since reacted to rumors about their strained relationship, saying the claims don't "bother" him.

LeBron James also asserted that he has remained on the same page with Jeanie Buss despite the wild speculations plaguing them.

LeBron James And Lakers To Go Their Separate Ways, Insider Reveals

LeBron James would reportedly not continue his playing career with the Los Angeles Lakers after this summer.

According to the New York Post, NBA insider Jake Fischer noted in a Monday livestream that "the Lakers are ready to move on from LeBron James and I think LeBron James is ready to move on from the Lakers as well."

Fischer placed the timeline for the split to be around June, adding that "that's kind of the foregone sentiment in Los Angeles right now about what's to come this summer."

He also claimed the team is now looking to build around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves after their relationship with James ends.

James has remained a stellar performer for the Lakers since he joined from the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2018. He has averaged 26.3 points, 8.0 assists, and 7.8 rebounds, also helping the team to the 2020 NBA championship.

The NBA Star Has Allegedly Endured Strained Ties With Jeanie Buss

Rumors of James' potential exit from the Lakers come amid reports he has had to endure a strained relationship with Jeanie Buss, the governor of the franchise.

Amid a disappointing run of results for the Lakers in the closing stage of last year and early this year, ESPN claimed in an article that the governor has grown frustrated with the 4-time NBA champion.

The report also alleged that Buss had grown tired of James' "outsized ego" and did not like that he had been projected as the "savior" of the franchise when he arrived in 2018.

She was also wary of the "overt control" that James and Klutch Sports exerted on the organization at times.

Things Allegedly Worsened Between LeBron James And Jeanie Buss After The Russell Westbrook Trade

The gap between James and Buss reportedly widened after the Lakers traded Russell Westbrook in July 2021, which seemingly backfired as the team went 33-49 and missed the playoffs at the time, causing James to wash his hands of his role in the acquisition.

According to the news outlet, the source claimed Buss didn't like his "lack of accountability" as well as the way he "shifted blame onto others" after the Westbrook deal.

Reports also claimed that when the team drafted his song Bronny in 2024, she felt James should be grateful, but he wasn't.

The NBA Legend Downplayed The Rumors About Him And Jeanie Buss

Meanwhile, James has since downplayed the rumors suggesting he was at odds with Buss.

"Quite frankly, I don't really get involved in that or the reports or whatever the case may be," James said, per Fox News Digital.

According to the news outlet, he seemingly addressed some of the article's claims, saying he joined the Lakers 8 years ago to return it to its former glory.

"At the end of the day, when I came to this organization, my whole mindset was about restoring excellence," James said. "The things that I saw growing up with the Lakers — obviously, I didn't get an opportunity to watch Showtime, but I know the history."

He continued,  "Then the early 2000s with Shaq [O'Neal] and [Kobe Bryant], and then what Kobe did and those couple runs with him and Pau [Gasol]. So, my whole mindset was like, 'How can I get that feeling back to the Lakers organization?'"

"And then I was able to do that along with, you know, 14, 16 other guys winning the championship, bringing the championship here," James added.

LeBron James Says He Doesn't Care 'How Somebody Feels' About Him

James also made it clear what matters to him, as Buss distanced herself from some of the claims the article made.

"Quite frankly, I don't really care about articles. I don't care about stories. I don't care about podcasts and all that type of sh-t. It don't bother me. I'm 41 years old, and I watch golf every day. I don't care about an article," he said.

"I don't care how somebody feels about me. If you know me personally, then you know what I'm about. These guys know what I'm about, and that's all that matters. I could care less how someone feels about me," James stated.

He added that it's okay for him and Buss not to talk often, but he has remained on the same page with her, adding that "it's always been a great partnership" between them.

Buss also addressed the reports, saying in a statement, "It's really not right, given all the great things LeBron has done for the Lakers, that he has to be pulled into my family drama."

"To say that it wasn't appreciated is just not true and completely unfair to him," she added.

Christian McCaffrey may be deep in offseason mode, but on Monday, February 2, the San Francisco 49ers star was right at home behind the counter at Raising Cane's, and he brought family with him. Ahead of Pro Bowl Week festivities, McCaffrey clocked in at the brand's Colma-area restaurant alongside his younger brother, Luke McCaffrey, for a brother-versus-brother "Raising Cane's Challenge" that blended football competition, fanfare, and Cane's signature chicken. The appearance comes as Christian prepares to headline the 2026 Pro Bowl Games in San Francisco, which will take place just ahead of Super Bowl LX, also hosted in the Bay Area, putting the 49ers star at the center of one of the NFL's biggest weeks.

Sibling Rivalry Runs Deep As Christian And Luke McCaffrey Take Competition From Childhood To The NFL

The McCaffrey brothers went head-to-head in skills challenges, served Box Combos to cheering fans in the drive-thru, and posed for content as Caniacs packed the restaurant. But for Christian and Luke, the competitive energy wasn't new. In fact, it was very familiar.

"We always wanted to play in the NFL," Christian McCaffrey said during the press event, in which The Blast was in attendance. "I just wanted to make it to the NFL, and now if I have a brother playing at the same time, be able to train with him and do all those things in the offseason together… It's such a blessing."

That bond was forged early. "Everything we did, we did together," he added. "Having four boys in our family, it was two-on-two everything."

Luke McCaffrey echoed the sentiment, calling the moment surreal. "We grew up kind of pretending to do this, playing in the NFL, going against each other," he said. "It's cool when you get here and realize you never got to stop doing that."

The Raising Cane's Challenge Ended With Bragging Rights

The brotherly competition doesn't stop there. Christian and Luke McCaffrey also faced off in a series of Raising Cane's–themed challenges that turned the restaurant into an unofficial arena, complete with bragging rights on the line.

First up was a fresh-squeezed lemonade challenge, where both McCaffrey brothers raced to see who could squeeze the most lemonade. Despite the intensity, the matchup ended in a dead heat.

Next came the cup-stacking challenge, and this is where Luke made his move. The Washington Commanders' wide receiver outpaced his older brother, stacking Cane's cups at lightning speed to secure a win in the competition.

But Christian wasn't done. The final challenge tasked each brother with drawing the Raising Cane's logo in under one minute, and this time, the 49ers star delivered. Christian's logo earned him the win, and with it, the overall victory, sealing the Raising Cane's Challenge in his favor.

Why Raising Cane's Made Sense

Despite packed schedules, both brothers jumped at the chance to partner with Raising Cane's, and not just for the cause.

"We were just excited about the chicken," Christian joked, drawing laughs. "Now it's a double whammy."

Luke shared a personal Cane's memory from his rookie season. "Every single one of our away trips, I had to go get Raising Cane's," he said. "My car smelled like Cane's for a long time."

As for their orders? Luke always goes for the Caniac combo, no slaw, double toast, while Christian keeps it simple with the Box Combo.

Christian McCaffrey Opens Up About Being A Role Model

Seeing kids in McCaffrey jerseys is something the 49ers star doesn't take lightly. "It's huge," he said. "One of the greatest parts about playing professional sports is having an impact on the younger generation."

That sense of responsibility has only grown since becoming a father. Christian opened up about life with his wife, Olivia Culpo, and their six-month-old daughter. "Coming home is the best part of the day," he said. "Whether it was a good day or a bad day, you see her smile… it kind of takes away anything that happened."

He added, "Having a girl softened me up a little bit."

Christian McCaffrey Gears Up For The Pro Bowl

With the Pro Bowl Games and Super Bowl LX both set for San Francisco in 2026, McCaffrey's presence at this year's Raising Cane's event felt like an early preview of what's to come.

And if Monday was any indication, Christian McCaffrey is coming in hot.