Westbrook Trade Fallout Led to Jeanie Buss's Frustration with LeBron

The Lakers' trade for Russell Westbrook in July 2021 reportedly caused a rift between owner Jeanie Buss and LeBron James. Buss was frustrated by what she perceived as James's lack of accountability for the trade's catastrophic failure, which led to the team missing the playoffs with a 33-49 record. This event was a significant factor in Buss reportedly considering trading James in 2022, before he received a no-trade clause in 2024.