Lakers Facing Tough Reality As LeBron James’ Impact Wanes In Year 22

December 14, 2024

If you look at the plus-minus numbers, it’s clear that LeBron James has, in a sense, handed over control of the Lakers to Anthony Davis, as written in an in-depth piece by ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.

Not only has he become the team’s second-best player in his 22nd season, but if we’re being honest, James has also become the Lakers’ least effective player.

This season, the Lakers are a stunning minus-129 when LeBron is on the court — the worst on the team by a wide margin. Meanwhile, the team performs much better when he’s off the floor, posting a plus-42. It’s hard to ignore how dramatic the contrast is.

LeBron recently took an extended break for personal reasons, using the time to rest his sore left foot. According to coach JJ Redick, sitting out Friday’s loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves game gave James eight days to recover, which is not a bad deal considering he only missed two games in total.

On the surface, LeBron’s individual numbers are still impressive: 23 points per game on 49.5% shooting, along with 9.1 assists and 8 rebounds.

Those are remarkable figures for someone in their 22nd season. However, his recent struggles paint a more concerning picture.

Over his last 13 games, James has racked up 66 turnovers, the most in any 13-game stretch since joining the Lakers. Before going 6-for-11 from three-point range in a loss to Atlanta, LeBron had gone a miserable 4-for-34 (11.8%) from beyond the arc. One solid performance doesn’t erase the struggles that came before it.

As one of James’ former assistant coaches noted to McMenamin, “He had that stretch where he looked probably as human as he’s never looked in his career. It seems like he’s prolonged it more than anybody ever has, but at some point, he’s going to just reach a point where he can’t do it. And it seems like that day is getting closer and closer now.”

Despite this, Miami coach Erik Spoelstra still believes James’ size, strength, and basketball IQ could keep him playing at a high level for another decade. But even Spoelstra knows that Father Time waits for no one. Though James can still turn it on, it’s clear his physical ability isn’t what it once was.

The statistics back up this decline. James is shooting just 65% on layups and dunks, his worst mark since player tracking started in 2013-14. His shooting percentage from 8 feet out, 62%, is his lowest since his rookie season in 2003-04, per McMenamin. These aren’t mere slumps — they are signs of a player whose explosiveness is fading.

As one Eastern Conference scout pointed out, “When he just wasn’t knocking down shots from the outside, and with him not being as explosive as he once was, he’s going to struggle if he can’t play with the threat of his shot.”

One Western Conference scout was even more blunt, saying the Lakers’ struggles go beyond LeBron’s stats.

“They will go nowhere if Redick and staff don’t find a way to challenge him beyond his historic numbers,” the scout told McMenamin. “The supporting cast is always going to follow his lead. When they have these horrible games, it’s a reflection of him being able to cruise and still get great stats. They can’t cruise.”

After a loss to Miami, LeBron, alongside Davis, accepted responsibility, acknowledging that poor team performances ultimately fall on the players, not the coaches.

However, just a few nights later, after another defeat in Atlanta, James pointed to a different cause.

“We don’t have much room for error,” he said, blaming the absence of key players like Austin Reaves, Jarred Vanderbilt, Jaxson Hayes, and Christian Wood.

But sitting out games like the one against Minnesota becomes a tricky decision, especially as the Lakers continue to deal with injuries and lack of depth.

“Sure, it’d be great to rest your second-best player who’s 40 years old, but with the lack of talent and obviously also the lack of health, it makes it incredibly difficult to sit somebody like that,” a West scout told McMenamin.

“I think that comes back to the roster issue of he can’t consistently do it over an 82-game stretch at his age. And he needs help… and he doesn’t have help.”

As LeBron tries to navigate this delicate balance of health and performance, it’s clear: the clock is ticking, and the Lakers will need more than just his numbers to make a real playoff push. At some point, even James will have to confront the reality of age and its inevitable toll.