Following the Los Angeles Lakers‘ 111-103 win over the New Orleans Pelicans, LeBron James left no room for interpretation about the team’s direction, openly framing Luka Doncic as the face of the franchise and placing himself firmly in a supporting role.
James and Doncic finished with 30 points apiece, but the responsibilities were split cleanly. Doncic guided the offense, piling up a game-high 10 assists and dictating tempo. James waited, then struck late, erupting in the fourth quarter to finish off the Pelicans.
Luka Doncic pregame magic shot gets Lakers teammate going
“Luka don’t need to bend his game [for me],” James said. “Luka is our 27-year-old franchise for this ballclub. He don’t need to bend his game. It’s up to us to bend our game around him and figure it out.”
A role reversal that feels intentional
For months, the assumption around the league was that this partnership would come with friction.
Many expected James to struggle with becoming a second option, especially with Austin Reaves also commanding touches. Instead, the Lakers‘ veteran has leaned into a quieter form of authority.
That approach showed up against New Orleans. James cut the deficit in the third quarter with free throws and a breakaway dunk, then put the Lakers ahead 97-90 in the fourth.
Doncic answered by closing the game with late shot-making. There was no overlap, no confusion. Just sequencing.
James brushed aside the idea that adjusting his game has required any sacrifice.
“We just try to be dynamic and work off of him [Doncic],” James said. After listing the qualities that make Doncic elite, he shut the conversation down entirely. “It’s not a problem for me; it’s not an issue for me.”
James‘ longtime agent, Rich Paul, addressed the situation publicly. Speaking on Fat Joe‘s podcast, Paul dismissed the idea that James is being pushed aside or preparing an exit.
“He can’t be traded unless he wants to be traded,” Paul said, referencing James‘ no-trade clause. “It takes two to tango in a trade. When you hear all these people say ‘oh you have to take a back seat and fit in.’ If you want to break it down, you can take all four positions and name your top 5, he’s in one of your top 5 in all 5 positions outside of center.”
