NBA Notes: Lakers, LeBron James, Heat, Norman Powell, Grizzlies

Lakers

The Lakers have transitioned into Luka Doncic’s team, and LeBron James is fully at peace with that reality.

James’ per-game numbers this season are among the lowest of his career, but he views that as a natural byproduct of sharing the floor with a 26-year-old franchise centerpiece.

As Dave McMenamin of ESPN notes, James isn’t interested in asking Doncic to adjust.

“Luka don’t need to bend his game for me,” James said. “Luka is our franchise for this ballclub. He don’t need to bend his game. It’s up to us to bend our game around him and figure it out.”

James emphasized that both he and Doncic will continue to handle the ball, stressing responsibility on both ends in a crowded Western Conference race.

Availability remains fluid, too.

“Every back-to-back, for the rest of the season, is TBD,” James said. “I am 41. I got the most minutes in NBA history.”

Heat

The Heat finally had something resembling a full roster on the floor Saturday, and even a loss to the Pacers didn’t change the broader outlook, writes Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

The bigger issue is timing. Miami is still learning how its pieces fit together when healthy, a process that players acknowledge isn’t instant.

“You gotta think about it,” said Norman Powell. “We’ve played a certain way for a while, then guys come back, and everybody has to adjust.”

Despite the stops and starts, Miami sits eighth in the East and just 2.5 games out of fourth. Coach Erik Spoelstra believes the offense will come with continuity, even if the sample size remains limited.

Grizzlies

For the Grizzlies, change continues to ripple through the roster.

In an interview with Mark Medina of EssentiallySports, Jaren Jackson Jr. discussed adapting to Tuomas Iisalo’s system and embracing a leadership role, particularly with rookie Cedric Coward.

“I just tell him what I see,” Jackson said. “Don’t be hard on yourself. Stay consistent. Put in the work and it’ll show.”

Jackson also addressed reports that Ja Morant is being discussed in trade talks.

“I feel for him. That’s my brother,” Jackson said, per Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. “No matter what, he changed my life coming here.”