The Los Angeles Lakers are still dealing with the aftermath of LeBron James leaving the team amidst many roster changes. LeBron informed the Lakers he wanted to play elsewhere and shocked the NBA world by taking them off the table of realistic options before the free agency period started. Despite having a positive relationship with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, James apparently didn’t like being a third option.
Rich Paul revealed more on the Game Over podcast by saying LeBron’s respect for the coach decisions hurt the team’s overall success:
Max Kellerman: “The team would have functioned better had Luka dribbled a little less and LeBron playing point more. I got the feeling that LeBron knew it was Luka’s team and didn’t want to step on any toes. I felt like LeBron needed to assert himself a little more.”
Rich Paul: “You’re not wrong. You’re 50% right in what you said but it’s for a different reason. He was raised right from a basketball perspective. So when the coach asks you to do something and play a certain way, he doesn’t know how to buck. This is what the coach asks me to do. Obviously, he’s not the third option but this is what he’s asked to do.”
Paul claimed that James was going to respect JJ Redick’s plan to do what was best for the team, including differing to Doncic and Reaves. The new and challenging situation likely played a role in LeBron looking to leave for a fresh start.
Lakers Got Put In Impossible Situation
The Lakers benefited immensely from the shocking trade that saw the Dallas Mavericks sending them Luka in exchange for Anthony Davis and Max Christie. However, even a dream gift falling into your lap can create some problems in the NBA.
The entire timeline changed from LeBron being the face of the franchise with Reaves stepping up to both men falling behind Doncic. It only makes sense that a 30 point per game scorer in his early prime years should be the face of the franchise.
Unfortunately, this pushed James into a new role as the third offense option for the first time in his career. Luka getting traded to the Lakers in 2025 was the first time LeBron even had one teammate more important than him. The Lakers had to prioritize Doncic, but it ended up costing them James.
LeBron’s Postseason Likely Impacted Leaving Lakers
LeBron went most of the season as the third option due to Luka needing the top role and Reaves stepping up when James was injured. Redick didn’t want to sacrifice Reaves’ progression as a young star tied to the franchise’s future.
LeBron willingly took the smaller role throughout the season and had some of the lowest scoring games of his entire NBA career. However, the postseason showed that James could still be the top option after Doncic and Reaves got injured.
The Lakers won a first round series as the betting underdog against the Houston Rockets thanks to LeBron being the best player on the court. Even the second-round elimination to the Oklahoma City Thunder saw pundits claiming James was a near equal to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, despite OKC having the far better team.
Rich Paul Reveals LeBron’s Frustrations Playing With Luka Doncic