There is fitting in, and then there is making yourself invisible. LeBron James was much closer to the latter against the Phoenix Suns on Monday.
After endless chatter about whether James could properly fit with what the Los Angeles Lakers were doing before his season debut, LeBron arrived and immediately proved there would be no concern of him overshadowing Luka Doncic or Austin Reaves. The Lakers star overdid it in the last matchup.
In the Lakers' crushing 125-108 defeat to the Suns, James was largely unimpactful. LeBron finished the night with only 10 points, shooting 3-of-10 from the field, three assists, and gave away three turnovers.
James went into the fourth quarter of the ball game with just six points and two assists to his name. The lack of aggression and assertion was concerning for those watching. It was a very hollow performance for a player capable of so much more.
LeBron James' overcorrection on offense needs to be walked back
James is less than a month away from his 41st birthday. Can anyone blame the guy for having two incredible offensive teammates and wanting to take a bit of a backseat to their production?
All of that is understandable, but there still needs to be room for James to assert himself on that end to a much greater capacity than what was on display against the Suns. It was one game, granted. However, it was the type of sloppy performance that craved LeBron's offensive leadership.
One of the biggest reasons to be excited about the return to the lineup for the Lakers star forward was the stabilizing effect it could have on the offense. That was nowhere to be found versus Phoenix.
The Lakers have struggled when it comes to turnovers this season. Before LeBron returned, they had posted a turnover percentage of 16.8, the worst mark in the entire NBA.
In the first four games James played, that number got cleaned up to 14.2 percent. The Lakers were trending in the right direction, finding themselves in the upper half of the league.
The loss to the Suns brought around that familiar, and ugly, issue once more. The Lakers committed 22 total turnovers, giftwrapping 32 points for their opponents in the process. That is where they need James to calm the offense down.
LeBron should not have to completely steer the ship anymore in Los Angeles. That much is clear and everyone is in agreement of that. However, to be as absent from positive impact as James was on Monday is a step too far for a Lakers team that still requires him to play a significant role.