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A trade for another star could be far-fetched but Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James can do something now to help them win.
Stating the obvious, the Lakers are in a terrible situation right now. Anthony Davis is hurt, Russell Westbrook has been off, and the health and safety protocols are costing them to lose their rhythm every now and then. With LeBron James as the lone star in the current squad, LA has now gone four games without a win.
The frustration could prompt the front office to devise a trade proposal in the future, which makes sense. Until then, “King James” has to ensure that the Lakers stay on track and he's got a couple of things at his disposal.
Get his teammates more involved
Me, myself and James! This has been the narrative of the Lakers' run after Anthony Davis got sidelined. The four-time MVP has been working like a machine, clocking in a staggering 37 minutes per game this season, the most he's played since joining the Lakers. What's more, it even reached 37.8 over the last five games, which they all lost.
While it's a no-brainer for James to play longer minutes because the squad only had nine players due to health and safety protocols, he has to be able to figure out how his teammates could contribute instead of carrying the entire team until the other key players return. Barring the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves where AD got hurt, four games should be enough for a player in James' caliber to get it done.
Unfortunately, the said narrative could go on as acting Lakers head coach David Fizdale stressed that he has no issues with James' workload.
“He wants to be able to compete. So if he sees a situation where we’re down or he would normally come out, but it’s right there, I feel okay like in Chicago. Just let me know, but he felt good,” Fizdale explained. “He just kept saying, ‘Hey, I want to stay in here.’”
“No, I don’t have a concern is the short answer,” he added. “Again, I’m not here that long (laughs). That’s easy for me to say as an assistant (laughs). That’s obviously the higher-ups and our medical team will obviously have to make those decisions. The way he prepares himself and the liveliness that he brings to the game. No, I don’t.”
In simpler terms, the Lakers will let a 36-year-old continue playing like he's in his 20s and just hope he doesn't get banged up. It's not good. Why? James can always step back a bit, pass the ball and get everybody on the floor assertive.
In fact, even Fizdale acknowledged that ball movement was something that has worked well for the team when Davis was not around.
“I think what the team really wrapped their mind around was how much we need to move the ball to be a good rhythm offensive basketball team,” Fizdale said after Lakers' 115-110 loss to the Bulls.
“Because you don’t have AD to book in 22, 24, maybe 30 on some nights,” he continued. “You can’t book that, so you have to rely on the guy next to you to help you. Obviously, Russ and Bron can still go do it, Carmelo against certain matchups can still go do it, but the ball movement I was really happy with and I thought that they bought into that as a key to our game.”
Winning mentality
Over time, stars develop a winning mentality and this is the reason why in the past, there were many vets who were still significant despite not having the ability to score in bunches in their arsenal anymore. Though already a cliché, having a winning mentality is really an edge James has to have, especially at this stage of his career.
James, as well as everybody in his circle, has to have a moment of clarity and reckon that forming a super team will not always get the job done. It has to come from within.
Choose his battles
In modern day NBA, whining and flopping have earned their own category in the game. Thanks to James. While most of the time it works to the team's advantage, James should need to limit this in and eve outside the court.
Instead of taking a subtle dig at the league over the health and safety protocols appearing to be in favor of the Phoenix Suns and the Golden State Warriors, Bron needs to focus on the Lakers.
Atop that, he should also stop spending too much time and energy on matters that have nothing to do with the Lakers this season.
How bad do we really want to win? is a good start.
