– Gives others a chance
With James taking a step back, it will give others to take a step forward. While the health situations of Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma and Brandon Ingram are very much up in the air, they would certainly have a larger role if they return this season with James being limited. The end of the season could be valuable for these three, but the Lakers will likely be cautious with all of them.
Even though the Lakers have struggled, James has done a lot for them on the offensive end of the court. In games where James either sits or plays fewer minutes, it will allow others to step up and have larger roles.
For the rest of the season, we should see the Lakers look to grow their young players. As shown recently against the Denver Nuggets, these young players are hungry to play and they played very hard. The front office will have a big offseason ahead of them and tough decisions will have to be made.
As the Lakers try to either sign or trade for another star to play with James, we will have to see who they want to keep and who could be on the move. With James being limited, others will have an opportunity to shine.