“It’s Over… He’s Done”: Countdown on LeBron’s Lakers Run Starts With Shaquille O’Neal’s Stinging Reality Check

When Shaquille O’Neal arrived at the Miami Heat, he was seen as a big coup. There was no denying what he would bring to the team, but the question was can he co-exist with a young Dwayne Wade? Those questions were answered swiftly as the duo led the franchise to its first NBA championship. With time, Shaq realized he was nearing the end of his prime and handed over the team’s keys to Wade. He had to accept that the team’s offense could no longer run through him and he made peace with that. Almost two decades after his move, he believes LeBron James could soon face the same prospect with Luka Doncic’s arrival in LA.

The Lakers nation is salivating at the prospect of seeing LeBron James and Luka Doncic together. Magic Johnson lauded the move to bring Doncic to Los Angeles saying it would make them a “championship-contending” team and termed it as a “long-term” move for the franchise. There is little doubt that the Lakers see Doncic as their superstar of the future, but any Lakers fan will tell you this is still LeBron James’ team, the question is for how long?

At 40, King James is still going strong. In his recent outing against the Warriors, he dropped a game-high 42 points and became just the second player in NBA history after Michael Jordan to score over 40 points in a game at 40 years old. Post-game, he was full of praise for Doncic and laid out the plan to play with him. At this rate, it is difficult to imagine James slowing down, but Shaquille O’Neal gave his former teammate a reality check about his future in Los Angeles.

On a recent episode of ‘The Big Podcast,’ co-host Adam posed a question to Shaq: “If LeBron calls you and he goes, ‘Hey man you were my teammate when you were kinda getting up there in age. I kinda for the first time maybe realize this isn’t my city anymore.’ And the plans are not him. What do you tell LeBron?”

Shaq responded candidly, “I think at some point I’ll let LeBron know it will be over soon. Of course, it’ll be his decision, but, you know, he’s done what he’s done. Passed on Kareem, couple championships. You might have to embrace it. I would definitely embrace it. I remember the first time I didn’t have to act crazy was when I was playing with LeBron. You know me when I go to a team I don’t give a f***k who you are it’s my team. I realized I was getting older when it was over but LeBron was so goddamn mature was actually a joy to sit back and see somebody else do it.”

O’Neal went to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2009 at a time when he was already past his prime and LeBron James was on the up. It didn’t take long for Diesel to realize that his best days might be behind him. He stayed with the Cavaliers for one season before moving to the Celtics to close out his NBA career. But Shaq had been instrumental in helping players like Kobe Bryant and Wade set the foundation for success for their franchises. LeBron may see this as a similar opportunity according to Shaquille O’Neal.

He elaborated, “You know, you may have to say, ‘hey, it’s over. This franchise has done a lot. Let me help make them.’ Or he might get p****d off and say, ‘Okay, y’all don’t want me? I’m gonna go to Golden State, I’m gonna go to New York.'”

James clearly has a lot to offer. His fitness and conditioning levels are outstanding and he continues to carry the Lakers team on his back. He has averaged 24.5 points with 9 assists and 7.8 rebounds per game this season. He is also only behind Nikola Jokic when it comes to triple-doubles this season with 10 to his name.

The Lakers signing Doncic is a move for the future indeed. Given the secrecy with which the deal was carried out, many questioned whether James would look to move elsewhere. However, James was quick to allay those fears clarifying he is staying put. “I’m here right now,” James said. “I’m here right now. I’m committed to the Lakers organization.” Not only this, he also said that he is committed to helping the new signings integrate with the team.

“As a leader of the team, as one of the captains of the team, it’s my job to make it as seamless as possible,” he said. Early signs already point to Rob Pelinka’s eagerness to build a team around Doncic, one that will take the Lakers into another phase of success. After acquiring the Slovenian, moved to sign the Hornets’ 7-foot starting center Mark Williams.

Doncic was at his best at Mavs with big players in the middle as seen in last season’s NBA Finals. By giving him a chance to team up with the 23-year-old Williams, the Lakers are providing Doncic with the tools to succeed and build for the future. They have also acquired the services of Jordan Goodwin to a two-way contract. Goodwin has NBA experience with the Washington Wizards, Phoenix Suns, and Memphis Grizzlies, but currently plays in the G League.

These moves clearly indicate that for the Lakers, the future is Doncic with James likely to pass the torch sooner or later. While James has reiterated his commitment to the franchise by not waiving his no-trade clause, there is no guarantee that he will end his career in LA.

He will be a free agent this summer if he turns down his $52.6 million player option for the 2025-26 season. Even though he is not getting any younger, his impact and fitness will make him a suitable fit for a number of NBA franchises, not to mention the attention he will bring with a possible move.

But for now, he is looking forward to teaming up with Doncic to see what they can do together,

James was out with his family for dinner when the news of the blockbuster trade first broke out and at first he thought it was a hoax. But since then, the reality has dawned on him and he was quick to call Doncic about it and has also praised the former Mavs player.

Expressing his admiration for Doncic, he said, “Luka has been my favorite player in the NBA for a while now.” He continued, “I’ve always just tried to play the game the right way and inspire the next generation, and Luka happens to be one of them, and now we’re teammates. So it’ll be a very seamless transition.”

The Lakers do believe that they have a championship-winning combination on their hands with Doncic, LeBron, Williams and Austin Reaves, but which team got the best of the blockbuster trade that took Anthony Davis to Dallas?

Shaquille O’Neal picks the winner in Luka-AD trade

When Anthony Davis packed his bags for Dallas and Luka Doncic landed in Los Angeles, the NBA world exploded with debate. Fans, analysts, and former players all had their takes, but one voice carried more weight than most—Shaquille O’Neal. And according to the Lakers legend, the Mavericks came out on top… at least for now. But what made Shaq lean toward Dallas?

Breaking it down on NBA on TNT, Shaq addressed the long-standing question of Davis and LeBron’s chemistry. “There was a lot of speculation about whether him and LeBron can play with each other,” he said. “The answer is yes, of course they can play with each other. It’s going to be interesting. However, I think Dallas got the better of the trade. For the next two years, anyway.”

Despite picking Dallas, Shaq didn’t shy away from criticizing the move. He questioned why the Mavericks would part ways with such a young, generational talent. “Well, obviously, Dallas didn’t want to move forward with one of the greatest young players that we’ve seen today,” O’Neal said. “I wish the business of basketball could have been handled a little better.”

Statistically, both teams landed a star. Davis brings dominant two-way play, averaging 25.7 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks this season. Meanwhile, Doncic, even in a “weaker” year, is still putting up 28.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 7.8 assists. With both franchises banking on their new centerpiece, time will tell who truly won this blockbuster swap.