"Sneak diss to Kendrick" - NBA fans scramble to decode LeBron James' cryptic IG post amid Luka Doncic trade

LeBron James is known for getting his point across through subtle rather than direct statements. On more than one occasion, he's delivered passive-aggressive jabs at NBA executives with a goal in mind (such as making roster tweaks).

On Sunday, James dropped a cryptic Instagram post that's gotten fans buzzing. In this post, he shared the words of what is supposedly an old Turkish proverb.

"When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn't become a king. The palace becomes a circus," read the quote.

James, who is popularly known by the moniker "The King," did not share any context for this quote. As such, NBA fans came up with a variety of speculations to decode James' meaning and intent.

One netizen wondered out loud if James was taking a jab at Grammy Award winner Kendrick Lamar, who was hours away from performing at the Super Bowl halftime show.

"Sneak diss to Kendrick?" the netizen tweeted.

This is likely a sarcastic comment, as James has long expressed his admiration for Lamar's music.

Other netizens wondered if James was taking aim at another executive:

"Possibly defending Luka from Dallas’s new owner," one netizen said.

"Wow fried the entire Mavs front office," another said.

"Calling the Mavs org clowns," another echoed.

The online users could be referring to statements made by Dallas Mavericks owner Patrick Dumont, who told The Dallas Morning News in the wake of the Doncic trade that the team is devoted to winning by "having the right culture."

Still others think that James' quote was intended for U.S. President Donald Trump.

"Definitely talking about Trump," one online user claimed.

"He’s calling out the felon in the White House," another said.

James has criticized Trump multiple times in the past. In the 2020 and 2024 elections, James endorsed Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, Trump's opponents in the presidential races.

LeBron James slams reporting on Anthony Davis trade

A week before the cryptic post, James delivered a crystal clear message in response to a report by an NBA insider.

A day after the Anthony Davis-Luka Doncic trade was reported on Feb. 1, Bill Reiter of CBS Sports said that James "had grown frustrated" with his longtime running mate Davis. LBJ would then deliver an NSFW response.

"You a fkn lie!!!" tweeted James.

Needless to say, the recently concluded NBA trade season has generated strong feelings and reactions from stars across the league.