When the Los Angeles Lakers traded for Luka Doncic, there were some who questioned how he and LeBron James would fit next to one another. The concern was that both Luka and LeBron are used to having the ball in their hands and being the primary creator and it simply isn’t possible with both on the floor together.
But from the beginning, James has said that the ball will be in Doncic’s hands and that it needs to be in order for the Lakers to reach their potential. That has certainly been the case so far and following the Lakers’ 21-point victory over the New Orleans Pelicans, James spoke again about being comfortable in that off-ball role.
“In order for us to be the team, ultimately, we need to be, the ball needs to be in Luka’s hands. … I’m very comfortable playing off the ball,” LeBron said. “Finding my spots, running the floor, getting outlet passes from Luka. Being on the backside of the defense is either being blitzed and pick and rolls or switched in pick and rolls track so many eyes and bodies I’ve been very blessed to be able to be adaptable to whatever team I’ve been on throughout my career, to be able to change and this is another instance.”
LeBron has adapted beautifully as teams are struggling to keep the Lakers offense lead by he and Luka in check. As James noted, having Doncic allows for him to pick his spots to really turn things up and take over. Additionally, the attention Luka draws puts LeBron in advantageous positions as well, making it a real pick your poison for the Lakers opposition.
“I mean, anytime you able to get a body off of you or eyes off of you, and it’s unlocks a lot for you and for our team,” James said about playing next to Doncic. “He attracts so many eyes and so many defenders when he’s driving, his pick- and-roll coverage, his ability to make all the reads that, if I’m getting passes where a lot of guys closing out on me with a lot of dribble or they’re not closing out on me, I’m able to now make reads where if it’s two on the ball, then I’m the guy that has the four-on-three numbers, and I’m able to see all the other reads as well.
“I think it was one play against the Clippers where they blitzed Luka at the top of the key, and he swung it to me. I was in the slot. He swung it to me. And then I started to make the reads. And I was able to find Gabe [Vincent] for a wide-open three because they was blitzing. We had a numbers game, so it’s kind of pick your poison when you have two brainiacs when it comes to the game of basketball.”
James and Doncic are two extremely high IQ players with the ability to find holes in defenses that no one else can. Putting them together gives the Lakers an advantage no one else has and they are already figuring out the best ways to take advantage which continues to lead to more wins for the Lakers.
Lakers coach JJ Redick credits LeBron James for giving up control to Luka Doncic
LeBron James is arguably the greatest player in NBA history and certainly one of the game’s best creators of all-time. He certainly has an argument to remain the Lakers’ primary creator, but has instead ceded that to Luka Doncic and head coach JJ Redick gave him credit for relinquishing that control.
“I think with LeBron, it’s big-time of him just to kind of hand over a little bit of the ball control,” Redick said. “And we weren’t having Bron bring it up a ton, but even in the halfcourt, playing off the ball and being comfortable with that I think is huge. Obviously he’s still scoring at a very high level. We’re gonna get him the ball when Luka is not in the game, we’re gonna have him as the primary guy when Luka is not in the game. But being shot ready, all that stuff I think has been fantastic.”
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