James is 39 years old. He’s still one of the best players in the NBA. In 59 games, he’s averaging 25.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 8.1 assists while shooting 53% from the field and 40.6% from three-point range.
However, if the Lakers can be a more robust offensive unit with him playing more of an off-ball role, he needs to make the adjustment. He will still be a primary offensive talent, he will just be allowing his teammates to dictate the terms of engagement.
The veteran superstar is still the primary option within Darvin Ham’s scheme, and Pierce believes that could be limiting the ball and player movement on the court.
There’s no point in putting up big numbers if your team is struggling to accumulate wins. That is the definition of an empty stat line. Last season, the Lakers made it to the Western Conference Finals. They improved their roster during the summer, so it makes sense to think they can have another successful postseason run.
James has always contributed to the team. Right now, studying how the offense functions without him controlling the ball is the best thing he can do to increase his chances of winning another title. We are aware of what it looks like when he is in charge. It might be James’ turn to start making sacrifices for the club, like many of his colleagues have done for him throughout his career, if Ham’s squad starts piling victories out of the blue.