Over the course of his career, long before he arrived with the Lakers, one of the more tired complaints and debates about LeBron James has centered around how much influence he exerts over his teams, as if that’s not a thing that every superstar does. Look no further than the Wizards trading for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (in part) because he’s best friends with Bradley Beal.
But to be sure, James is a large decision-making voice in everything the Lakers do, maybe even to a greater degree than most stars. Rob Pelinka has stated on numerous occasions that he consults with James (and co-star Anthony Davis) on every single signing the Lakers make, and it turns out that maybe sometimes, it might be the other way around.