Having a roster built around a Big Three has not been the model for winning a championship in quite some time in the NBA. The problem with that team construction is just how many flaws it leaves to invest so much into three guys carrying the way. There is also an unspoken rule that comes with that strategy which LeBron James is now on the other end of.
James is naturally quite familiar with the roster model. With the Miami Heat, it was him, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh who made up the iconic trio. When LeBron went back home to the Cleveland Cavaliers, it was Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love joining the top-heavy mix.
Those teams ended up helping James win championships. In each of those situations, the third star was always asked to sacrifice. With the Los Angeles Lakers, that responsibility is now flipped onto LeBron's shoulders.
LeBron James is now the third star who must sacrifice for the Lakers
Bosh did it for the Heat. The two-time champion lessened his offensive load, and molded himself from more of a power forward to someone who could be the team's starting center. The latter helped create more spacing for a version of LeBron who was at the peak of his athletic powers to punish teams inside. Dwyane Wade was allowed to comfortably operate as the second star.
Love did it for the Cavaliers. The offensive powerhouse was a tremendous inside scorer and post-up artist during his days with the Minnesota Timberwolves. During the era in which he overlapped with James in Cleveland, Love took nearly 44 percent of his shots from 3-point land to better fit with his superstar player. By contrast, that number was closer to 23 percent in Minnesota.
Rich Paul and Max Kellerman discussed why this tends to happen on a recent episode of their podcast. A lack of specialists forces the third guy to make up for some of those deficiencies. That ultimately lessens the role.
This has all been such a big talking point for the Lakers of late. The team is clearly better when Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves play the role of the two main stars. James, to his credit, has been willing and accepting of doing whatever the team needs to win.
Make no mistake about it, the Lakers have every intention of keeping LeBron in that third star role too. JJ Redick said it himself.
"The best thing for our team is him being the third highest-used player," Redick said. "... It's just about finding that rhythm, finding that groove for all three of those guys."
Bosh and Love were both able to find championship success by putting themselves in that spot. The jury is still out on whether James will be able to replicate that success now that he's on the other end.