For the first time in his 23-year NBA career, LeBron James is adjusting to a new role with the Los Angeles Lakers. After missing the first 14 games of the season due to sciatica, James returned to a team that had found early success led by Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Since rejoining the lineup, James has taken on a supporting role, averaging career lows in points and shot attempts while focusing on facilitating for his teammates. In three games back, he has averaged 17.7 points on 13.3 shot attempts per game, along with 5 rebounds and 8.7 assists.
On an episode of the “Mind the Game” podcast with Steve Nash, James discussed his current approach:
“It goes without saying, but I’m a Swiss Army Knife. So if that’s spotting up, waiting to get the ball from Luka or AR, if that’s setting pick-and-rolls in transition, if that’s slipping pick-and-rolls in transition, if we want to slow the game down in the half court and wanna get some post-up action and be able to create triggers, whatever the case may be. What JJ and the coaching staff have done so far, we’re playing exceptional basketball with so many injuries so far, obviously me being one of the injuries that we had. But whatever demographic, however the pie shapes itself offensively on how we want to play, how they want me to implement myself into the role of the team, listen, all I care about is winning. I’ve done everything in my career, including winning, and I want to continue that. So I will very easily just fit myself right on in in whatever capacity the team needs me in… When you got a great point guard like Luka who creates so many eyes around him, one of the best things I can do is slash in from that 45 degree or wait if a guy is tagging high on DA or tagging high on Jaxson, to be able to roam behind the defense and catch lobs behind the defense. Or just stopping up and getting ready to shoot. I worked a lot of my shooting when I wasn’t allowed to do a lot of physical pounding and running and jumping and things of that nature, so I worked on a lot of that too. Having that growth mindset throughout my career to whatever position I would ever be able to be put in, no matter if it was the Olympic team or Lakers or Heat of Cavs or whatever, to be dynamic. How can I always be a threat on the floor with or without the ball? And that’s something I’ve kind of prided myself over.”
James’ willingness to adapt comes after an offseason where his future with Los Angeles was uncertain. His decision now appears influenced by how well his teammates performed during his absence.
James also emphasized recently that he believes defensive performance will ultimately determine how successful this Lakers team can become.
