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LeBron James has had plenty of high-profile teammates throughout his career, a handful of which has helped him capture gold, including the likes of Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Kyrie Irving, and Anthony Davis. This time around, James enjoys another superstar teammate in Luka Doncic after the Lakers traded Davis for Doncic.
While their partnership remains to be seen, there are positive signs that it could result in another championship. However, not all All-Stars could work out with James. Here is a look at 20 LeBron James-led All-Star pairings that didn't work out.
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LeBron James and Russell Westbrook
With the Lakers' failed title defense in the 2020-21 season, they were looking for a third star to supplement James and AD. The Lakers ended up acquiring Russell Westbrook. However, the former NBA MVP was a terrible fit, negatively affecting the team's spacing thanks to his limitations on offense. As a result, Westbrook and James didn't even make a single playoff appearance together.
LeBron James and Shaquille O'Neal
With Shaquille O'Neal pursuing another ring for his collection, the Big Diesel joined forces with James in Cleveland with the Cavaliers for the 2009-10 season. Unfortunately, Shaq was already way past his prime at this point. Although he was still a solid starting center, Shaq wasn't dominant enough to be James' second option for a championship run.
LeBron James and Ben Wallace
Despite being undersized, Ben Wallace's defense and rebounding propelled him to carve out a Hall of Fame-worthy career. But in trying to win another ring, the four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year joined forces with The King for the 2008-09 season. However, Wallace wasn't even a shell of his old self, as he battled with various injuries at this stage of his career.
LeBron James and Derrick Rose
Crowned as the youngest NBA MVP in league history, Derrick Rose looked like he was going to take over the NBA. However, a serious knee injury in the 2011 NBA playoffs derailed his career. In an attempt to resurrect his career, Rose signed with the Cavaliers to join forces with James. Unfortunately, Rose couldn't stay healthy as he was part of the group of players that Cleveland dealt during the 2018 trade deadline.
LeBron James and Brandon Ingram
In his second year, eventual All-Star Brandon Ingram was still finding his footing in the NBA. However, he just wasn't the piece that's ripe enough to win a championship alongside James. As a result, the Lakers used him as a trade asset to acquire AD during the offseason in 2019. Nonetheless, Ingram did blossom into an All-Star with the New Orleans Pelicans.
LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony
In a final attempt to win a ring, Carmelo Anthony played alongside James with the Lakers for the 2021-22 season. It was the curtain call for Melo before hanging up his sneakers. Although the partnership brought plenty of nostalgia, due to their friendship and rivalries, Melo's best days were far behind him. Furthermore, as a liability on defense, he was simply not what the Lakers needed at the time to win it all.
LeBron James and Isaiah Thomas
Unlike the rest of the All-Stars in this list, Isaiah Thomas actually played with James twice. The first time he joined the Cavs as part of the exchange for Kyrie Irving. While he was a replacement for a disgruntled Irving, Thomas' injuries clipped his wings. As a result, the Cavs traded him as part of a roster overhaul at the trade deadline in 2018. Later on, Thomas rejoined James with the Purple and Gold during the 2020-21 season for a brief stint. It was quite uneventful as Thomas barely made a winning impact.
LeBron James and Tyson Chandler
Tyson Chandler used to be a familiar tormentor for James, having been part of the Dallas Mavericks that pulled off a huge upset against the Miami Heat at the 2011 NBA Finals. Nearly a decade later, the two joined forces in Los Angeles. However, James suffered a major injury for the first time in his career, and Chandler was already dealing with Father Time.
LeBron James and D'Angelo Russell
After Russell Westbrook's exit, it was D'Angelo Russell who took up point guard duties for Los Angeles. Although he was a better fit compared to Westbrook, Russell's inconsistency in the postseason proved to be a thorn in the side of James and the Lakers. While his heat checks were exciting to watch, Russell wasn't reliable enough alongside The King.
LeBron James and Zydrunas Ilgauskas
For longtime James fans, the name Zydrunas Ilgauskas certainly rings a bell. The two-time NBA All-Star was a reliable center alongside James for the most part of his first stint with the Cavaliers. Unfortunately, Big Z never got to taste a championship even alongside James. The duo even went to South Beach for the 2010-11 season but to no avail.
LeBron James and Antawn Jamison
Antawn Jamison was the celebrated secondary star that the Cavaliers successfully signed. But while everyone was high on his acquisition, Jamison ultimately disappointed in a Cavs uniform. The two-time NBA All-Star struggled to convert open looks. In addition to this, he was also a liability on defense.
LeBron James and Wally Szczerbiak
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Another of James' old teammates was Wally Szczerbiak. While Szczerbiak was a stellar player during his peak, he joined Cleveland during the latter stage of his career. In fact, the onetime NBA All-Star was already at a declining point. It was certainly a terrible mistake on the front office as well to pay him big money.
LeBron James and Carlos Boozer
Prior to drafting James, the Cavaliers selected Carlos Boozer in the second round with the 35th overall pick of the 2002 NBA Draft. However, this was a young Boozer who was still finding his niche in the NBA. Unfortunately, the partnership with James didn't last long as the Utah Jazz lured Boozer away as a restricted free agent. Cleveland's front office opted not to match their offer, leaving fans wondering what if the two had stayed together longer.
LeBron James and Marc Gasol
In trying to replace the absence of Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee, the Lakers signed Marc Gasol to fill the center position. While his playmaking and size brought some potential, Gasol was already aging at that time. As a result, the former NBA Defensive Player of the Year could no longer keep up with faster players. In fact, the Lakers decided to simply just bench the big man.
LeBron James and Andre Drummond
After Davis went down with an injury, the Lakers needed to scramble for a center, especially when Gasol failed to live up to expectations. As a result, they picked up Andre Drummond from the buyout market. The four-time rebounding leader brought a lot of hype. However, his play style negatively affected the team's spacing, preventing James from penetrating to the paint effectively.
LeBron James and DeAndre Jordan
Speaking of Lakers centers that didn't work out alongside James, add in onetime NBA All-Star DeAndre Jordan. Like Drummond, Jordan wasn't effective anywhere outside the paint. As a result, opposing teams took advantage and allowed the 7-foot-0 big man to clog the paint.
LeBron James and Kyle Korver
Kyle Korver was a former rival of James, having played for the surprise Atlanta Hawks in the 2015-16 season. After being sent home by Cleveland in the playoffs, the onetime All-Star signed a deal to join the Cavs. The elite shooter was expected to bolster the team's shooting. While he did do so, the Golden State Warriors proved to be too much.
LeBron James and Deron Williams
While Deron Williams was an elite point guard during his prime, he joined James and the Cavaliers a little too late. By the time he joined the Cavs in 2017, Williams had already collected a stacked injury history. The three-time NBA All-Star played a reserve role, mostly getting his minutes during garbage time.
LeBron James and Shawn Marion
Another All-Star who joined James a little too late in Cleveland was Shawn Marion. Marion was an elite two-way player who made life difficult for James during the 2011 NBA Finals. But while Marion had some moments in Cleveland, he was basically too old to be a major contributor on a championship squad against an up-and-coming Warriors team in 2015.
LeBron James and Jerry Stackhouse
James teamed up with plenty of notable veterans during his time with the Miami Heat. In need of more depth surrounding the Big Three in Miami, the team picked up a 36-year old Jerry Stackhouse. The two-time NBA All-Star could only play limited minutes and was pretty much a nonfactor during the 2010-11 season.
