When you're the oldest player in the NBA it can take some time before your body catches up to where you want it to be. For LeBron James, there are two juxtaposing sides of the debate that say this is both acceptable and absolutely detrimental to the Los Angeles Lakers.
The side of the argument that speaks to James being allowed to coast until his body is up to speed leans on Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. LeBron has shown an exceptional willingness to not get in the way of his talented backcourt. After decades of leading teams, and even carrying some horrid rosters well past their station, the Lakers superstar has been more than willing to defer.
To some degree, that is exactly how it should be for someone who is less than a month away from his 41st birthday. This gives James an opportunity to flip the switch in the postseason when the games matter most for the Lakers.
The underlying issue with that approach is how much harder it makes the job of Rob Pelinka. If the Lakers view 2025-26 as a season in which they can truly push for a championship, they need to understand their shortcomings. That will be next to impossible if James is on cruise control.
Coasting LeBron means a clouded picture for Lakers — who need brutal honesty
Does anyone truly believe the Lakers are ready to win it all without at least one move to really help all the pieces fall perfectly into place? The roster has holes, and they need to be addressed before February arrives.
What the Lakers need from James here is figuring out which of their current issues can be covered up with him closer to his best. If LeBron is coasting to the finish line consistently, Los Angeles cannot get the accurate read on the situation that they would ideally want.
On the whole, this should not be a cry to have James straining himself past a point of comfort that would jeopardize long-term sustainability. However, the Lakers do need consistent glimpses to a reliable degree of frequency.
The bar for a championship right now is the Oklahoma City Thunder. They have been excellent to start the season, posting a 21-1 record with Jalen Williams missing the majority of those games.
The Lakers already got obliterated once by the Thunder this season. They need a proper indicator of how large the gap between the two teams truly is and what roster issues require the most attention.
It would be surprising for any path to the NBA Finals to not go through the Thunder at some point. If the Lakers really want to prevent a repeat, they need an accurate representation of where they stand. James can pick his moments to take it easy. It just can't completely be the norm.