The 2025-26 season has seen a massive shift in LeBron James‘ role with the Los Angeles Lakers. While Luka Doncic‘s arrival last season would have inevitably led to James’ status changing, the subsequent rise of Austin Reaves has effectively forced James to take a back seat.
Given the success the Lakers have enjoyed in LeBron James’ absence, many sources have claimed the Lakers are much better without the superstar. Needless to say, Rich Paul didn’t agree with this sentiment. While addressing the subject on the “Game Over” podcast, Paul stated:
“I hate to talk about the Lakers, but you have to. But you hear all the nonsense about the team being better without LeBron. I’ve never seen a team in my life that would be better without LeBron James. Not this one [the Lakers] either… I think it’s more so about figuring it out, and sometimes it takes you longer than not because for a guy that’s been on the ball so long, how do you play him off the ball?”
“You have to understand and factor in his [James] presence,” Paul continued. “You’ve got to realize something. Most guys who step on the basketball floor with LeBron James are in awe if they’re not trying to pretend like they’re bigger than somebody else. If they’re not putting on an act.”
While claims regarding the Lakers’ success without James are justifiable to some extent, Paul also makes a solid statement about the superstar’s value and impact on the team.
LeBron James’ versatility, for the most part, has been significant for every team he has been a part of. His ability to play multiple roles has given teams the flexibility to implement different strategies, which have often yielded some degree of success.
For the current iteration of the Lakers, as Paul mentioned, the problems lie in figuring things out.
The interplay between Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves has been a successful formula for the Purple and Gold lately, resulting in a 10-2 record when the two are playing together. Unfortunately, James doesn’t positively factor into this, as his expansive skill set limits the team’s overall performance.
Without James, the Lakers have enjoyed a 17-7 record this season. While this may support some claims, it is an exaggeration to say the Lakers are a better team without him.
In his recent outings, LeBron James has sacrificed his role for the team. While effectively playing second fiddle to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, James has found other ways to contribute, acting as a secondary playmaker and scoring option. This has resulted in success for the Purple and Gold, who are now on a two-game winning streak since James returned from injury.
Following the win against the Nuggets, it appears that Los Angeles has found its groove. With James also adapting to his new role, it will be intriguing to see what the Lakers can accomplish with the superstar becoming more closely aligned with the team.
