Lately, there has been a lot of debate about whether the Los Angeles Lakers are better off without LeBron James at this stage in his career. While he still may be able to be a star or superstar-level player, he has taken a step back and seemingly accepted a new role as the team’s third scoring option, and there are some arguments to support the notion that L.A. has played better without him.
When James missed the first 14 games of this season with sciatica, the Lakers won 10 of those games. Earlier this month, he missed three straight games with a couple of ailments, and they won all three contests, which included victories over the New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves. Some advanced stats certainly seem to back up the argument many have made that L.A. plays better without the 41-year-old.
As one would expect, Rich Paul, James’ longtime agent, doesn’t agree with that argument. On his “Game Over” podcast, Paul pushed back on co-host Max Kellerman when Kellerman suggested that the Lakers have done better without James.
“You hear all the nonsense about the team being better without LeBron,” Paul said. “I’ve never seen a team in my life that would be better without LeBron James. I think it’s more so about figuring it out. Sometimes, it takes you longer than not, because for a guy that’s been on the ball for so long, how do you play him off the ball? … You have to factor in his presence. You gotta realize something: Most guys that [step] on the basketball floor with LeBron James, number one, are in awe.”
Since James has returned, the Lakers have won another three consecutive games, including Monday’s 100-92 triumph over the Houston Rockets. While one can certainly argue that James contributes next to nothing on the defensive end, he still brings the team a few things that are hard for it to replace.
He’s the only player on the Lakers who can consistently create pace and attack the rim with ferocity. He’s also still a magnificent playmaker, and he can help out on the boards. Of course, James has been in a myriad of different high-leverage situations through the years, and his extensive experience and knowledge are priceless, especially come playoff time.
As Paul alluded to, learning how to win with James playing more of a supporting role takes time, especially since the Lakers have three ball-handling, high-usage stars in James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. It appears they’re starting to figure out how to make it work, especially against quality competition.
Everyone will be watching to see what he will do after the conclusion of this season, when he will become a free agent. He’s currently in his record 23rd NBA season and is averaging 21.2 points on 50.6% field-goal shooting, 5.7 rebounds and 6.9 assists a game.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Rich Paul on notion that Lakers are better off without LeBron James
Reporting by Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire / LeBron Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
