LeBron James sets tongues wagging with NBA 'goodbye' post

LeBron James and Anthony Davis, both heroes of the Los Angeles Lakers, have sparked speculation after posting identical "goodbyes" on their Instagram Stories.

In a surprising move ahead of the NBA trade deadline in February, Davis was traded by the Lakers to the Dallas Mavericks, along with Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick, in exchange for Luka Doncic. The deal, which marked the first midseason trade of two reigning All-NBA players, sent shockwaves through the NBA community.

James, who is known to wield significant influence within the Lakers organisation, was reportedly taken aback by the trade, having been unaware of it until its completion. This led fans to initially speculate that he may have orchestrated or at least endorsed the trade.

During their time together, James and Davis had an impressive run. Following a blockbuster trade in the 2019 offseason, they led the Lakers to an NBA championship in Davis's first season and took the team to the Western Conference Finals in 2023.

Recently, both players seemed to be in a reflective mood. Within days of each other, they each shared an Instagram post reading: "Becoming the best version of yourself comes with a lot of goodbyes."

This could fuel further trade rumours. Despite opting into his $52.6 million player option with the Lakers, James has been the subject of trade speculation, and a move to Dallas could be appealing given that two of his former teammates - Davis and Kyrie Irving - are currently playing there.

Irving, who was instrumental in helping the Mavs reach the 2024 NBA Finals alongside Doncic, is currently sidelined with a torn ACL, leaving his participation in the 2025-26 season uncertain. During his Twitch stream on Tuesday night, Irving reflected on his experience playing with James after he forced his exit from the Cavaliers to join the Celtics.

"When you're playing with someone like [James], or somebody you like to compare him to, it's a different animal," Irving stated. "It's a different journey, you're automatically expected to be at the top of the league.

"Every time you play with [James] it's going to be a lot of media attention, a lot of narratives, spun narratives, politics, a lot of s--- that people don't see in front of the camera.

"And for me, I was just a young person trying to figure it out. It's not that I disliked playing with [James] at any time, it was just literally my time to move on.

"James has previously expressed his wish to reunite with Irving, and he was undoubtedly hurt when Davis was traded. In an appearance on the 'Pat McAfee Show,' James addressed Davis' departure: "I lost a great friend and a champion duo with AD, miss him, but we were able to gain Luka."

Last season, James averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 7.8 rebounds per game. The Lakers' season, boosted by the sensational trade arrival of Doncic, ended at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

As the offseason approaches, Lakers' president of basketball operations and GM Rob Pelinka pledged to assemble a team that meets James' expectations - it's yet to be seen if he has succeeded. Jake LaRavia and Deandre Ayton have both been signed in free agency, but the Lakers are still lacking a genuine backup big and another dependable 3-and-D wing to help them compete in the challenging Western Conference.