LeBron James will have a full season of adjusting to being an off-ball player in 2025-26. JJ Redick and the Los Angeles Lakers can make that transition easy by reviving a formula that worked so well for James during his Miami Heat days.
LeBron is certainly not at the level of athleticism that was once had at the peak of his powers with the Heat. However, his body has held up better than most, and the fundamental offensive principles that come with being a good cutter are still firmly embedded into his system.
The Lakers came up in a discussion had by Zach Lowe and his guest Mo Dakhil on an episode of The Zach Lowe Show that highlighted teams needing a makeover on offense. Lowe's guest thought turning back the clock was the obvious solution to making the most out of the Lakers personnel.
Dakhil said, "You need to find more ways for LeBron and Luka [Doncic] to play off of each other. ... Where you position LeBron in those ball screens matters a ton to me. ... I actually want him above the break because ... there's an opportunity for LeBron to cut behind the nail or to attack on the kickout."
LeBron must revive forgotten part of his game for Lakers offense to hum
Lowe agreed with his guest, emphasizing the openings James would have with the slot cut when defenses load off him. The NBA analyst thought it would be there 'over and over again.'
Dakhil thought those were the exact things missing from the Lakers offense when they needed to figure things out on the fly following the blockbuster trade for Doncic. The idea of James adding years onto his career by adapting to his new superstar teammate was an idea Lowe's guest did not shy away from.
There is certainly more nuance regarding how a Luka-LeBron partnership can be maximized. Doncic will need to give a little ground as well, allowing himself to feed off the aging superstar who will share the court with him.
However, mixing up how James is involved in the offense will certainly go a long way. At this point in both of their careers, Luka is going to command much more defensive attention than LeBron is. That serves as the perfect chance for the all-time great to reap the rewards of lighter coverage.
Any team with this elite of a duo should have an easy pathway to being one of the best offensive units in basketball. It is up to the Lakers to properly solve how to best arrive at that desired outcome.