He really fúcked up when he chose to opt into that 50 million dollar contract. I get that his production calls for it. Still, you gotta acknowledge that you're 40, have a pretty wack roster, and have essentially been given the green light to sway the opinion of the front office regarding player acquisition since you got there.... at 34 years of age.
Obviously, that shít isn't going to last forever. Additionally, the Lakers are one of the two most storied franchises in the league, so they aren't going to be held hostage by a dude who only spent 7 years there towards the back half of his career.