Colin Cowherd’s latest segment on The Herd touched a nerve that has been simmering since the Lakers acquired Luka Doncic: can LeBron James truly embrace being a pure No. 2 option? Cowherd didn’t question LeBron’s value. He questioned whether the greatest on-court decision maker of this era can genuinely live with a role where the ball belongs to someone else almost every trip down the floor.
“LeBron has always been the best player on his team. Now, last year, Luka was injured and put on some weight. So I believe on most nights LeBron was at least Luka’s equal and many times he was better than Luka.”
“So last night, LeBron made his season debut and it was a perfect night. Utah’s the worst defensive team by a mile in the NBA. The Lakers had 16 layups and 74 points in the paint. No physicality. It was a home game. The healthiest the Lakers roster has been in years, and LeBron eased his way back into it. He didn’t have the ball much in his hands. His passing was, as usual, exceptional.”
“When Walker Kessler is out for Utah, they are so bad defensively, and LeBron appropriately did not insert himself into the offense much. In fact, the usage rate is what I want to see going forward.”
“Luka had the ball 44 percent of the time. I’d be happy at 46, 47. Austin Reaves had it 25 percent of the time. LeBron had it 13 percent and it was all smiles. Do I think taking seven shots and having the ball in his hands 13 percent of the time is something LeBron’s going to be happy with in April? I do not.”
“But LeBron is really smart. He’s always calculated. He’s always intentional from the food he eats to the shots he takes. And the Lakers are a fun, well coached offense, a joyful atmosphere. Last night felt like an intense scrimmage. Utah’s that bad defensively. And LeBron’s always been an incredibly adaptable player. Michael Jordan was not. The late Kobe was not. Carmelo was not. LeBron’s always been adaptable.”
“But let’s keep it 100. LeBron now for the first time in his career is absolutely the second best player on the team. He was better than D. Wade. He was better than Bosh. He was better than Kevin Love. He was better than Kyrie. He was better than AD. All of them. And he was better than chunky Luka last year on most nights.”
“But I said all summer, skinny Luka is the best offensive player in the world. Skinny Luka last night had 37 points. Could have scored more. It felt like something you’d see at the Y. He scored whenever he felt like it.”
“Utah is atrocious defensively. And LeBron’s calculated. He picked this week to come back. Why? They play Utah twice. No physicality and a bunch of days off.”
“So I will say this. J. J. Redick has created, he is a really good offensive coach. This offense, the spacing’s fantastic. It never gets jammed up. They really pass well. It’s a very giving offense. But LeBron’s never been a true Robin. He’s always been Batman on almost every night of his career.”
“So he not settling for seven shots. He not settling for 13 percent ball usage. But that’s kind of where I like him at. Maybe 18, 20, 21 percent. That’s not a knock on him. Luka is so dominant and LeBron is so old, that’s what it should be for the regular season.”
The counterpoint is that LeBron has already said publicly that he can play any role this team asks of him. Against Utah, he proved it. His burst wasn’t fully there, and he clearly wasn’t hunting shots, but his passing was brilliant. He put up 11 points and 12 assists with just one turnover. And in the fourth quarter, he delivered six assists in just over three minutes, picking apart a defense that tried everything from doubles to zones. That’s not a role acceptance problem; that’s an understanding of where he can still dominate.
At 40 years old, LeBron doesn’t need to push for 28 points a night. He doesn’t need to be the offense. That’s why Luka is in Los Angeles. Austin Reaves has taken another leap as well, giving the Lakers three dynamic creators who can carry stretches on their own.
In this version of the team, LeBron is the perfect secondary playmaker, someone who can punish blitzes on Luka and run a devastating 4-on-3 game. That alone could keep him among the league’s assist leaders. He may even pass Chris Paul for No. 2 all-time by year’s end.
His scoring numbers will likely settle in the 18 to 19 range, with 9 or 10 assists as a nightly norm. That’s not a demotion. It’s a recalibration: one that should extend his effectiveness, especially defensively.
And the Lakers won’t push him too hard. With 14 missed games already, four more would eliminate him from All-NBA eligibility and end his historic 21-year streak. They know the margins are thin.
Cowherd’s underlying worry is understandable, but the on-court reality suggests LeBron can thrive as a co-star. Let Luka and Reaves carry the heavy scoring load. When the game slows, when the pressure rises, when the Lakers need a stabilizer, they still have the greatest problem-solver the sport has seen in two decades.
For a franchise with title aspirations, that’s not a dilemma, that’s a luxury.
