On a recent episode of Game Over with Max Kellerman and Rich Paul, Kellerman stated his belief that LeBron James still has something left in the tank, but it's not as much as a lot of us thought coming into the season. In their hearts, all Los Angeles Lakers fans know this is the truth.
James has been tasked with taking on a secondary scorer role, and has become more of connector than anything resembling the scoring force he used to be. Credit to him for adapting, but this is clearly not the level of basketball player we saw him as even last year. His defense has routinely been an issue, and father time appears to be counting the days.
Ultimately, this is reshaping how the Lakers have to function on a nightly basis. The offense can no longer rely on LeBron to bail out broken possessions. When he's on the floor, the value comes from his vision and his ability to keep the ball moving. That's useful, but it's not enough on its own to carry a contender.
LeBron's play has exposed some uncomfortable truths. The Lakers need cleaner shot creation and more reliable two-way play from the rest of the roster, because LeBron can't cover gaps the way he once did. When defensive rotations break down, he's often a step late. This changes LA's margin for error when he's on the floor.
LeBron James is not who he was before anymore
There are still moments where the old LeBron peeks through. He can string together a few strong possessions or score through contact in a way that reminds everyone who he is, but that's simply no longer the baseline. The Lakers can't plan around him the way they used to at all.
This has forced LA into a strange middle ground. This team is not currently structured like a true contender. Sometimes the lineups feel fragile, especially against younger and faster teams that test their stamina and discipline. When LeBron is your connective tissue rather than your engine, everything else has to be seamless.
The difficult part is that there's not really an easy solution. LeBron is still too good to marginalize, but not dominant enough to build around as the primary pillar. Lakers fans are understandably frustrated because they've seen LeBron dominate on a nightly basis in years past, and that player just isn't around anymore.
That may be the hardest truth to accept. This isn't a legend collapsing, but it's one who's having to adjust to reality in real time. LeBron James can still impact this Lakers team in a positive way, but it looks far different from anything we've seen.