1. LeBron’s Objectives
This Lakers roster is far different than the one the Heat had when James signed with them in 2010. LeBron was in his prime then and surrounded himself with fellow All-Stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, and two years later with sharpshooter Ray Allen. When James returned to the Cavs in 2014 they likewise had two All-Stars in Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love.
If winning a title immediately was his primary goal this year, he could have stayed in the less-competitive Eastern Conference and signed with Philadelphia, Boston or even Toronto, teams that are all on the cusp of contention. Or he could have gone to Houston, which had the NBA’s best regular season record and battled the Warriors to 7 games in the Western Conference finals before bowing out.
But when James entered free agency this year, his primary concerns seem to have changed. Other factors matter more to him than winning right away. To begin with, he listened to his family about where they wanted to live.
Just as importantly, it appears that LeBron also listened to his own body. When the playoffs ended, he was physically exhausted. For a player who will turn 34 shortly after the new season begins, he undoubtedly didn’t want to have to carry a team again the way he hoisted the Cavs on his back this past year.
When he looked at the Lakers, he saw a team with at least four very talented, energetic young studs. James understood that if he could teach them what it takes to win, they could carry a good chunk of the load this year. He wouldn’t be required to be the focal point of the offense on each and every play. Instead, he can often turn the reins over to them and avoid the physical toll he endured last year.
An advantage of potentially absorbing less bodily abuse this season is that he might ultimately last longer in the NBA. In essence, it appears that LeBron is willing to sacrifice the chance for an immediate title in exchange for the opportunity to extend his career.
With that in mind, it’s likely he will set a career low in minutes played per game (previously 35.6). It’s even conceivable that he might take fewer shots per game (his current low is 17.6) and perhaps even score fewer points (not counting his rookie year, his low is 25.3). In the interest of remaining strong for the future, he might decide to pick his spots more than he ever has before, much as Magic did in his heyday.