LeBron James said on April 10 that he is prepared to take on a bigger role for the Los Angeles Lakers following injuries to leading scorers Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. The Lakers recently defeated the Golden State Warriors by 16 points, with James contributing 26 points, eight rebounds, and 11 assists.
The victory comes as the team tries to stabilize before the playoffs. With several main players sidelined, pressure has increased on James to guide the roster. When asked by Allie Clifton on Amazon Prime what is needed from him now, James said: “Everything. Nothing changes for me, it’s just back to the old ways. I gotta give them my leadership both on the floor and off the floor. I gotta lead in all facets on the court, both ends. That’s what the job requires, so I look forward to it and let’s see what we can get done.”
Earlier in the season, James had stepped back from primary scoring and playmaking duties as Doncic and Reaves took over those roles. However, their absence means that he must once again fill gaps across scoring, rebounding, defense, and leadership.
Other team members such as Luke Kennard, Jake LaRavia, and Bronny James have contributed more in recent games. Still, much of the responsibility falls upon James as they head toward postseason play.
In addition to lineup adjustments due to injury, the Lakers announced they are releasing guard Kobe Bufkin ahead of playoffs in order to open up a roster spot for another player familiar with their system or potentially an outside signing.
