Brian Windhorst and a team of ESPN's Insiders sort out life and the news from in and around the NBA world, including LeBron James' position on first-round draft picks, Lauri Markkanen's All-Star bid, NBA teams' cash allotment and the impact of Kevin Durant's injury on his MVP campaign.
LeBron James doesn't care about first-round draft picks. And if you were him, you wouldn't either.
James has toed the line, sometimes stepping on the pressure button a tad, regarding the Los Angeles Lakers' current high standard for touching their tradeable 2027 and 2029 first-round picks.
He has repeatedly said such front-office decisions are not his job, trying to avoid any implications. But he has made a comment -- or three -- during the season that have made his preferences on roster upgrades clear.
The reasons why the Lakers are so cautious about those picks have been documented. The reason why James has little care for future picks is assumed to be his age, now 38, and the desire to maximize his remaining playing days. That is certainly true, but there's more to it.
James' history with first-round picks might explain this position better.