The Los Angeles Lakers' decision to make LeBron James the third option played a key role in his departure. Luka Doncic is LA’s lead ball-handler and go-to offensive threat. Head coach JJ Redick decided to slot LeBron in as the number three behind Austin Reaves, too. It was a position King James has never played for extended stretches. Clearly, LeBron didn’t enjoy it. He went back to being the alpha in the playoffs after Luka and Reaves were injured. That series had James bypass retirement and leave the purple and gold.
The Sixers wisely pitched LeBron on being their point guard. They want James to have the ball and be the primary creator. That was the key to getting him to Philadelphia. The 76ers have Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown, and VJ Edgecombe. The star power helped, but King James was only coming if he was the lead ball-handler.
Lakers fans can blame Luka or the front office, but this was a LeBron decision. He wanted to leave LA. James was searching for basketball happiness. He found it in Philly in large part because they were offering the biggest on-ball role.
LeBron James’ desire to be the point guard played a key role in Lakers split
Shams Charania recently reported that LeBron would play some point guard this season, which made headlines. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst further expounded on that take with two key quotes for Lakers fans.
“LeBron has played point guard for every team he’s ever played. He may not have been the starting point guard, but he’s played point guard on his teams since he was 12 years old. The amount of time he’s played point guard has varied, and that is what the 76ers are going to be looking at. This was part of what Nick Nurse was pitching to LeBron when he talked to him before he made his decision.”
The Sixers made it a key part of their pitch. That wasn’t an accident, as Windy further explained.
“Why would the Sixers do that? Other than the fact that it fits their roster, is last year LeBron played as little point guard as he ever has, or at least in many years, because Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves were the primary ball-handlers. He played off the ball more last year than he ever had in his NBA career, at least for a full season. This would be getting back to the type of play he likes to play.”
The Lakers weren’t letting LeBron play point guard. Luka Doncic is arguably the best offensive creator in the world. He led the 2024 Mavericks to the NBA Finals when nobody thought they’d make it. Luka is in his prime and was always going to be the engine for the Lakers.
King James may have accepted being second fiddle to Luka, but Reaves is also entering his prime and ready to make the star leap. Los Angeles prioritized his development and growth over letting LeBron be the number two.
The 41-year-old benefited from the Lakers' plan. He had so much gas left in the tank in the playoffs because the Lakers were easing off his usage. It's easy to point to LeBron’s playoff success and say he should have been doing more, but he only got there because of what came before it.
LeBron’s departure meant leaving his son on the Lakers. He left his home in Los Angeles and the franchise he spent eight years with. King James wanted to be the lead ball-handler more and play a larger role. The Sixers were clear about offering that, and it helped them win the sweepstakes for his services.
The Lakers aren’t mad. They did what was best for their franchise. Luka is a better point guard than LeBron in 2026. They wanted Austin Reaves to become Doncic’s long-term co-star. The purple and gold prioritized the two prime stars over King James. It wasn’t an easy decision, but the Lakers believe it was the right one.
The Los Angeles Lakers helped force LeBron James to split from Luka Doncic by making him the third option and taking the ball out of his hands. The NBA’s all-time leading scorer will play point guard for the Philadelphia 76ers. He will be sharing the ball with Maxey, Embiid, and Brown, but head coach Nick Nurse sold him on being the lead playmaker plenty. LeBron is back in his preferred role, and the Lakers have already moved on.
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