Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick recently spoke about the new dynamic at play with his star trio. Redick openly acknowledged Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves as offensive focal points, noting that it would "take away time on the ball" from four-time MVP and former franchise player LeBron James.
Thankfully, James has selflessly bought in to the vision Redick has for the team and has thus positioned himself to match Lakers legend Magic Johnson with a fifth NBA championship.
Doncic is currently on pace to win the scoring title and Reaves has cemented his status as a rising star at 27 years of age. With James now 41 and headed toward an uncertain period of unrestricted free agency, the shift toward prioritizing his younger teammates may have been inevitable.
According to Dan Woike of The Athletic, James is still confident in his ability to play at a high individual level, but is prioritizing what the Lakers need from him.
“If it benefits others, it benefits the team,” James said. “The team is most important. Everybody’s successful when we win. So, yeah, it is a sacrifice. I know what I’m capable of still doing as an individual, but what’s important for this team, I’m able to adapt to what’s important for this team. And that’s the only thing that matters. And the win is the only thing that matters.”
With this type of mentality, James is positioning himself to make a serious run at a fifth championship that would undoubtedly enhance his legacy.
LeBon James buying into system that cuts his touches in favor of winning
James spent the better part of his first 22 seasons as the unquestioned franchise player and No. 1 scoring option. He's certainly made the most of those opportunities, winning four championships, four Finals MVP awards, and four regular season MVP awards along the way.
James is still playing at an extraordinary level in 2025-26, earning All-Star recognition and averaging 21.4 points, 7.0 assists, 5.7 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 1.4 three-point field goals made per game.
As is the case with every Big Three, however, one player will inevitably receive fewer touches than the other two. It still amounts to an extraordinary workload for an individual player to take on, but a hierarchy is typically established in hopes of creating an ideal balance on offense.
Whether it's due to his age or other factors entirely, James has seemingly been asked to sacrifice for the team and take on the role of a No. 3 on offense.
Thankfully, James appears to be on the same page as Doncic, Reaves, and Redick. His goal is to win, above all else, and he seems to recognize how dominant Doncic and Reaves have been as a duo this season. Per Cleaning the Glass, their two-man lineup ranks in the 86th percentile in net rating.
With James committing to the system in place and prioritizing team success over personal glory, the Lakers have the top-end talent to compete with anyone. James could thus secure title No. 5 with his sacrifice.