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Why LeBron and the Lakers separating was the only way for both to get what they want

LeBron James wipes his brow with his right forearm during an NBA game.

LeBron James is departing the Lakers after eight seasons in Los Angeles. Harry How / Getty Images

By Dan WoikeJune 30, 2026 7:26 pm EDT Updated

LeBron James told the Los Angeles Lakers that he was ready to move on from the team Tuesday morning — and the Lakers were ready for him to move on.

That’s not to say that the departure was vitriolic. The Lakers posted a classy tribute on social media, a quote from team governor Jeanie Buss reiterating that James was a “cherished” member of their organization and would remain one. And James posted that it was an “honor” to play for the Lakers while trying to add to the “greatness & legacies that came before me! Hope I made a few proud during my stint.”

The relationship ended with a sturdy handshake and a quick hug as life took the Lakers and James in separate directions. It’s appropriate, the two sides harboring no public ill will as their partnership ends after eight seasons.

Privately, the break will provide the Lakers and James with things that they both want and things that would’ve been impossible to achieve without the separation.

For James, after 23 NBA seasons and more than $1 billion in wealth, feeling like your employer values you probably holds some importance. And the Lakers, after putting James first for years by trading players and picks to surround him with star teammates and by picking his son Bronny James in the 2024 NBA Draft, had pretty clearly stopped valuing James at the level he prefers.

James said the right things after the Lakers traded Anthony Davis, his closest friend on the roster, to Dallas for Luka Dončić without first informing him. He suggested that Dončić, rather than James, should have his name announced last with the starters — a gesture that supported the Lakers’ decision to go all in behind a younger superstar.

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James played the good soldier last season, spending March in a complementary role to Dončić and Austin Reaves. The Lakers played their best basketball of the year during a late-season stretch when all three stars were healthy, breathing some credibility into their status as a contender. And when injuries kept Dončić and Reaves from being available at the start of the postseason, James helped drag the team past the favored Houston Rockets in the first round — doing so at times with his son by his side on the court in meaningful playoff minutes, an incredible flex of longevity.

Last season, James didn’t know what he wanted to do next. Now, he doesn’t know if 2026-27 will be his last season. In effect, he’s a sentence with no clear ending and just an ellipsis hinting at the future.

For the Lakers, that open-ended approach doesn’t work with the urgency they need to reconstruct the roster around Dončić and Reaves. For them, James is a massive cap number coming off the books, a pathway to fixing things. He’s no longer a part of the answer to their championship hopes.

It’s why, according to league sources granted anonymity to discuss front-office strategy, James’ name hadn’t been mentioned much in the Lakers’ team-building conversations with outside parties. James, it seemed, would need to be shoehorned into whatever else the Lakers decided to do.

Instead, James chose to grab control of these final pages of his career. He will decide where he finishes his career, which players he’ll cede control to, and which city and organization he’ll agree to sacrifice salary for.

If he chooses the Golden State Warriors, it’ll be because Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler are his peers — players he’s battled in NBA Finals and teamed up with in the Olympics. The wealth of shared experience among that foursome would make for fun basketball and wine-filled dinners.

If he chooses the Cleveland Cavaliers, it’ll be because no place is home to James like Northeast Ohio, and because the people from the same place as him appreciate him in deeper, more meaningful ways. James will get adoration wherever he goes, but the gratitude will run deepest in Cleveland.

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Other suitors could appear, and each of them will have a vision to sell James.

The Lakers, of course, were in position to offer little more than a chance to fit in around Dončić and Reaves, and their efforts and energy are now pointed in different directions. If there was space for greater compromise, neither James nor the Lakers seemed all that motivated to carve it out.

So, LeBron James and the Lakers are over. James, after 23 seasons, somehow goes on.

And the Lakers will do the same without him.

Jul 1, 2026

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Tagged To: NBA free agency NBA Los Angeles Lakers

NPR's Nina Totenberg Apologizes for False Report about Alito Retiring

NPR Correspondent Nina Totenberg Apologizes for False Report about Justice Alito Retiring

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito speaks during the investiture ceremony for Texas S — Jay Janner/The Austin American-Statesman via Getty Images

Paul Bois30 Jun 2026

Nina Totenberg, American Legal Affairs correspondent for NPR, apologized on Tuesday after she falsely reported that Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito is retiring.

Totenberg issued her apology on NPR’s All Things Considered podcast, chalking her false report down to a “rookie mistake.”

“It’s entirely on me. It’s not anybody else’s fault,” she said.

Totenberg then read the text apology that she personally sent to Justice Alito:

Dear Justice Alito, there are no words to adequately apologize for today’s error in reporting your retirement,” she said. “It was entirely my fault. I rushed out of the courtroom after the opinion announcements, and when I realized that the usual rush of folks after a few minutes had not happened, I asked somebody was going on inside, to which the answer was, ‘retirement announcements.’

“I didn’t hear the ‘s’ on ‘announcements,’ and I assumed something no reporter should ever do, that you were retiring. It was the worst professional mistake of my more than 50 years in journalism. I could go on, but I don’t know what else to say, except that I am so, so sorry,” she added.

NPR had a news report about Alito’s retirement already written by the time Totenberg informed the newsroom, which many publications keep on hand for immediate publication in case of sudden retirement or possible death.

“Totenberg spoke with both her intern, who was at the court with her, and NPR Executive Editor Krishnadev Calamur and told them what she heard,” per NPR. “Calamur surfaced the story that NPR had previously prepared for the day Alito did announce his retirement and published it. The information was also broadcast on NPR’s airwaves. NPR was offering special live coverage of the court’s decision on the birthright citizenship case.”

“The story was published on NPR’s website at 10:51 a.m. ET and it was live for about five minutes. It was up for longer periods on some member station websites. It was taken down and replaced with an editor’s note by 10:57 a.m. The error was corrected on the broadcast at 11:07 a.m. ET,” it added.

‘Legally Blonde’ Cast: Where Are They Now?

The iconic comedy that gave us “bend and snap!” lives on!

Released in 2001, Legally Blonde follows Reese Witherspoon‘s Elle Woods, a sorority girl who is dumped by her boyfriend who thinks he’s too good for her. In an effort to prove him wrong and win him back, she hits the books and is accepted to Harvard. Luke Wilson (Emmett Richmond), Jennifer Coolidge (Paulette Bonafonte), Selma Blair (Vivian Kensington), Matthew Davis (Warner Huntington III) and many more appear in the now-iconic film.

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Two years after the release of the original film, Witherspoon returned in Legally Blonde 2, which followed her character’s journey as an animal rights activist. A musical adaptation hit the stage in 2007 and Witherspoon coproduced a spinoff called Legally Blondes, starring twin sisters Milly and Becky Rosso playing Elle’s younger cousins.

Plus, Legally Blonde 3 is underway. Written by Mindy Kaling and Dan Goor, very little details are known about the future film besides the release date of May 2022. Witherspoon is set to return as Elle Woods once more.

Remembered for the optimistic protagonist and a message that digs below the surface, Legally Blonde has remained relevant for years. While waiting for the release of the third movie, keep scrolling to see what the cast has been up to since the original film.

Credit: Tracy Bennett/Mgm/Kobal/Shutterstock; Matt Petit/A.M.P.A.S./Shutterstock

'Legally Blonde' Cast: Where Are They Now?

The iconic comedy that gave us “bend and snap!” lives on! Released in 2001, Legally Blonde follows Reese Witherspoon's Elle Woods, a sorority girl who is dumped by her boyfriend who thinks he’s too good for her. In an effort to prove him wrong and win him back, she hits the books and is accepted to Harvard. Luke Wilson (Emmett Richmond), Jennifer Coolidge (Paulette Bonafonte), Selma Blair (Vivian Kensington), Matthew Davis (Warner Huntington III) and many more appear in the now-iconic film. Two years after the release of the original film, Witherspoon returned in Legally Blonde 2, which followed her character’s journey as an animal rights activist. A musical adaptation hit the stage in 2007 and Witherspoon coproduced a spinoff called Legally Blondes, starring twin sisters Milly and Becky Rosso playing Elle’s younger cousins. Plus, Legally Blonde 3 is underway. Written by Mindy Kaling and Dan Goor, very little details are known about the future film besides the release date of May 2022. Witherspoon is set to return as Elle Woods once more. Remembered for the optimistic protagonist and a message that digs below the surface, Legally Blonde has remained relevant for years. While waiting for the release of the third movie, keep scrolling to see what the cast has been up to since the original film.

Credit: Tracy Bennett/Mgm/Kobal/Shutterstock; Matt Petit/A.M.P.A.S./Shutterstock

'Legally Blonde' Cast: Where Are They Now?

Credit: Tracy Bennett/Mgm/Kobal/Shutterstock; Matt Petit/A.M.P.A.S./Shutterstock

Reese Witherspoon

The Emmy winner had already made her film debut before playing the iconic role of Elle Woods. She reprised her character in the sequel, Legally Blonde 2, and continued her place in the spotlight starring in films such as Sweet Home Alabama, Walk the Line and Water for Elephants. Her portrayal of June Carter Cash earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress. She was nominated a second time for her appearance in Wild.

Witherspoon then geared her focus onto television where she produced and starred in multiple series including Big Little Lies, The Morning Show and Little Fires Everywhere. Witherspoon was married to Ryan Phillippe from 1996 to 2006, and the pair share two children. She has been married to Jim Toth since 2010. The couple have one son.

In March 2023, the pair announced via Instagram their decision to part ways two days before marking their 12th wedding anniversary.

Credit: Tracy Bennett/Mgm/Kobal/Shutterstock; imageSPACE/Shutterstock

Luke Wilson

Coming from a family of actors, Wilson starred in many films ahead of landing a leading role in Legally Blonde. After the romantic comedy, he appeared in The Royal Tenenbaums with brother Owen Wilson, Old School, Stuck on You and many more. He has been romantically linked to Drew Barrymore, Gwyneth Paltrow and former basketball player Meg Simpson.

Credit: Tracy Bennett/Mgm/Kobal/Shutterstock; Jason Merritt/Radarpics/Shutterstock

Selma Blair

After her success in Legally Blonde, the Cruel Intentions star continued to achieve international fame by starring in the fantasy film Hellboy as well as its sequel. She has since appeared in both film and tv, starring in Anger Management and American Crime Story. Blair’s narration of The Diary of Anne Frank audiobook earned her a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for Children in 2011. Blair was married to writer and producer Ahmet Zappa from 2004 to 2006. She dated fashion designer Jason Bleick from 2010 to 2012 and the pair share one child. In 2021, she starred in the documentary Introducing, Selma Blair, which detailed her battle with multiple sclerosis.

Credit: Tracy Bennett/Mgm/Kobal/Shutterstock; Gregory Pace/Shutterstock

Matthew Davis

After starring as Warner, Davis continued with comedy in What About Brian from 2006 to 2007. He dove into fantasy with CW’s The Vampire Diaries for an extensive period from 2009 to 2017, and returned for the spinoff series Legacies. Davis also had a recurring role in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, appearing in multiple episodes of the 14th season. He was married to Leelee Sobieski for one year in 2008. Davis married Kiley Casciano in 2018. The pair welcomed daughters Ripley and Dorothy in 2020 and 2022, respectively.

Credit: Tracy Bennett/Mgm/Kobal/Shutterstock; Marion Curtis/StarPix for Focus Features/Shutterstock

Victor Garber

Long before Garber was cast in Legally Blonde, the Canadian native made a name for himself on the theatre stage, starring in productions of Godspell, Sweeney Todd and Assassins. He went on to star in historical dramas including Titanic, Milk and Argo. When it comes to television, Garber is well known for his role of Jack Bristow in Alias, and made appearances on Law and Order, Frasier, Modern Family, Glee, The Good Wife and Schitt’s Creek. In 2012, Garber publicly revealed he is gay and married his long-time partner, Rainter Andreesen.

Credit: Tracy Bennett/Mgm/Kobal/Shutterstock; Gregory Pace/Shutterstock

Jennifer Coolidge

Coolidge broke through with her role in the American Pie film series shortly before starring as the iconic Paulette Bonafonte Parcelle in Legally Blonde. She went on to star in A Cinderella Story, Click, American Dreamz, Soul Men, Like a Boss, Promising Young Woman and Arlo the Alligator Boy.

The actress also made her way onto television, appearing in Joey, The Secret Life of the American Teenager, 2 Broke Girls and The White Lotus, for which she won an Emmy award in 2022. Previously linked to comedian Chris Kattan back in 2001, Coolidge is currently single and devotes herself to charitable work, supporting AIDS assistance and animal rights.

Credit: MGM; Kathy Hutchins/Shutterstock

Ali Larter

After breaking through with her film debut in Varsity Blues, Larter starred in multiple horror films including House on Haunted Hill, Final Destination and Final Destination 2. She took on lead roles in Marigold, as well as the thriller Obsessed. Continuing in the horror realm, Larter gained even more recognition after participating in the Resident Evil film series. The Rookie star married long-time boyfriend Hayes MacArthur in 2009 and gave birth to her first child in 2010. Five years later, the couple welcomed their second child in January 2015.

Credit: MGM; Birdie Thompson/Sipa/Shutterstock

Meredith Scott Lynn

After Legally Blonde, Lynn starred in How I Met Your Mother and Menendez: Blood Brothers. In 2014, Lynn launched the educational program WRiTE BRAiN BOOKS, an after-school program that encourages students to use their creativity and promotes children’s books authored by these young learners.

Credit: MGM; Gregory Pace/Shutterstock

Oz Perkins

The Alias alum starred in The Twilight Zone series in 2020 and became a writer and director. Many of his films fall into the horror genre, including The Blackcoat’s Daughter, I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in This House and the 2020 adaptation of Hansel and Gretel. Perkins was married to Sidney Perkins from 1999 to 2016 and the pair share two children.

Credit: MGM; Gregory Pace/Shutterstock

Holland Taylor

The Tony winner starred on numerous television shows and Broadway productions through the years. In 2020, she received her eighth Emmy nomination for her role of Ellen Kincaid in the miniseries Hollywood. Other notable television works include The L Word and Mr. Mercedes. As for film, Taylor starred in Happy Accidents, The Wedding Date, Baby Mama and The Stand In.

Taylor has been with partner Sarah Paulson since 2015. She also is a supporter of Aid for AIDS and is a participant in many of their fundraising projects.

Credit: MGM; Kathy Hutchins/Shutterstock

Linda Cardellini

Cardellini is well known for her leading roles in Freaks and Geeks and ER. After Legally Blonde, Cardellini starred as Velma in the Scooby Doo movies, as well as appearing in Avengers: Age of Ultron, Avengers: Endgame, Green Book, A Simple Favor, Daddy’s Home and The Curse of La Llorona.

In 2019, she earned an Emmy nomination for work in Dead to Me. She was nominated for another Emmy Award for her guest appearance in Mad Men. The actress previously dated costar Jason Seigel from 2001 to 2007. She then met Steven Rodriguez in 2009 and the pair welcomed their daughter in 2012. Cardellini and Rodriguez have been engaged since 2013.

Credit: MGM; Picture Perfect/Shutterstock

Bruce Thomas

Thomas had a small role before Legally Blonde, but the comedy helped fuel his career. He later starred in the 2008 film Babysitter Wanted and Kyle XY. Thomas is also well versed in voice acting, starring in Green Lantern: Emerald Knights, Gears of War: Judgement, Justice League: War and Son of Batman. He also voiced a sergeant in the Netflix series Love, Death, Robots. Aside from acting, Thomas has also participated in motion capture for video games, including Halo Infinite.

Credit: MGM; Courtesy of Jessica Cauffiel/Instagram

Jessica Cauffiel

Shortly before starring as Margot, Cauffiel made a name for herself as a scream queen in the slasher films Urban Legends: Final Cut and Valentine. She continued into comedy with White Chicks in 2004 and had a recurring role in the sitcom The Drew Carey Show. Cauffiel took a break from acting in 2007 after appearing in My Name is Earl and came back as the lead of the Hallmark movie Ice Dreams in 2009. That same year, she produced and starred in the short film Bed Ridden, and all proceeds were donated to The Clare Foundation. Cauffiel is also known for her lovely voice and performed in Dharamshala, India. She also sang on albums Shanti by Snatam Kaur and Grateful Ganesh by Guruganesh Singh Khalsa.

Credit: MGM; John Salangsang/Shutterstock

Alanna Ubach

After Legally Blonde, the Brady Bunch movie star continued her career with Meet the Fockers, Bad Teacher and Bombshell. Ubach also voiced quite a few characters in animated films and shows such as The Spectacular Spiderman, Brandy and Mr. Whiskers, Rango, Coco and Monsters at Work. Ubach is married to record producer Thom Russo, and they share one child.