Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka confirmed as much at Saturday's press conference to announce Luka Doncic's three-year extension worth $165 million. The Lakers will be searching for a new co-star to pair with the superstar point guard. Pelinka hinted as to why the franchise has been prioritizing their financial flexibility.

Last week, LeBron's not-so-cryptic Instagram post hitting out at unnamed critics raised plenty of eyebrows given how it coincided with the buildup to Doncic's new deal.