The Los Angeles Lakers’ Christmas Day loss to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2019 was supposed to be just one game, but it ended up stirring something bigger.

Kawhi Leonard had dominated with 35 points, giving the Clippers the win and a shot of momentum in what was already shaping up to be a tight city rivalry. The Lakers didn’t just lose on the scoreboard that night. The days that followed brought a different kind of tension.

Clint Parks, trainer to Kyle Kuzma, made things worse. On Instagram, he praised Leonard’s discipline and focus in a way that many took as a dig at LeBron James.

It wasn’t explicit, but the timing and tone made the target clear. James had finished with 23 points but struggled from deep, hitting just 2-for-12 from 3. Parks’ post felt like a shot at his preparation.

Making up with LeBron

Kuzma didn’t let the noise build. He addressed it directly with James and made his position clear. It never became a problem inside the locker room because it was handled before it could spiral out of control.

“I just told him that I can’t control what another man says,” Kuzma said. “Obviously, I don’t feel that way. Everybody knows that me and LeBron have a great relationship, and [we] left it at that. Can’t control another man’s mouth and what they say, so we left it at that.”

For James, this wasn’t unfamiliar territory. His career has always attracted outside voices and playing alongside him comes with that weight. But the stakes were different now.

The Lakers were trying to build real momentum for a title run. Davis had just arrived, the roster was gelling, and the last thing they needed was a side story hinting at internal division.

Kuzma’s situation made it more delicate. He had come up as a key piece during the rebuild, one of the few holdovers from the pre-LeBron era. Now he was learning how to adapt next to two superstar teammates. With less room to stand out and more pressure to blend in, any moment like this could raise questions about trust or chemistry.

Parks’ comments landed at the worst possible time. The team was competing at a high level, the Clippers were still looking to prove themselves, and the rivalry was already tense. Any outside voice questioning James’ approach had the potential to become a bigger story than it should have been.

Clearing narratives

The situation picked up again when Kuzma posted a vague tweet a day later. “Call a spade a spade,” he wrote, ending it with a shrug emoji. It didn’t mention anyone, but fans and media quickly linked it to Parks’ post and took it as a sign that Kuzma agreed with his trainer’s views.

Kuzma denied that it was the case.

“I didn’t even see what he said at first,” he said. “Obviously, you guys see, I tweet things all the time. So definitely not about that. Why would I even do that? Makes no sense.”

Whether or not the tweet had anything to do with Parks, it created confusion. Kuzma was still figuring out how to balance his voice with the expectations of a contending team. And once something is out there, even a vague post can turn into a headline.

What mattered most was how it was handled. Kuzma talked to James directly. They moved on. The Lakers kept rolling and won the 2020 championship in the bubble. Any friction that might have existed got buried by a title.

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 1, 2025, where it first appeared.