LeBron happy to play third fiddle

Conventional wisdom predicted the early weeks of the Lakers’ new partnership would be messy, and with reason. After all, ball-dominant playmakers with a distinct cadence rarely just snap into rhythm alongside each other. In fact, the annals of pro hoops are littered with examples of failed attempts at turning the luster of individuals into collective success. Yet, lo and behold, the purple and gold are happily dancing in tune. And if they’re second in the highly competitive West on the strength of six straight victories (and counting), it’s because all-time-great LeBron James has sidestepped the usual complications.

Indeed, James has settled next to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves with veteran ease. For all his accomplishments through a whopping 22-plus years in the National Basketball Association (NBA), he has fit in seamlessly by subjugating his ego and buying into the Lakers’ process without question. The spacing and tempo work, and the hierarchy (invariably the trickiest to navigate when dealing with marquee names) has taken shape without any apparent friction. It helps, of course, that he has mastered the art of reducing a system to its essentials.

Doncic still sets the table, to be sure, and in a way only he can; his methodical, probing, unhurried style may be predictable by now, but it has been no less deadly. And in the periphery is an extremely comfortable James, content to be third in the pecking order behind even Reaves to stitch possessions. When the others bend the defense, the 21-time All-NBA selection drifts into the space behind it and gleefully turns would-be resets into clean looks or quick dives.

From the outside looking in, the give-and-take looks and feels organic, almost understated, but it has already reshaped the Lakers’ identity. At least two of the Big Three will be on the court at any given time to ensure competitiveness sans exhaustion. And there will be no hijacking of sets, not with James providing direction and getting touches only in the flow of proceedings. Thus far, he has relished being a pressure valve when defenses overcommit, with his secondary playmaking buying Doncic and Reaves pockets of rest.

Needless to say, much of the credit belongs to the Lakers’ coaching staff for constructing an offense that has rarely stagnated. Possessions begin with Luka’s gravity, flow through Reaves’ precision, and end with James choosing the most viable solution. Theirs is a rhythm built on trust, and trust built on clearly established roles that make sense based on their singular skill sets. And what stands out most is how little self-importance has entered the picture, which, by the way, should not be mistaken for absence of ambition. To the contrary, they know they’re justified in casting eyes on the hardware.

Where the Lakers will ultimately wind up is anybody’s guess. Integrations often begin gracefully and end in compromise. That said, their alliance boasts of coherence that projects staying power; thus far, they have displayed the type that figures to hold even when the schedule stiffens and the scouting reports sharpen. James doesn’t have to dominate; he merely guides. Doncic doesn’t have to carry; he merely creates. Reaves doesn’t have to control; he merely crafts. Together, they have been the best versions of themselves.

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.