Road to Revival: It’s time to hold LeBron James accountable
If I have to watch Los Angeles Lakers guard Russell Westbrook clank a midrange bank shot off the top of the backboard again, I might have to pick a new team as the focus of my column.
The Lakers have played some of the ugliest basketball ever displayed by a LeBron James-led team en route to a 24-24 record and the ninth seed in the Western Conference.
Top to bottom — from the front office to the coaching staff to the roster — the Lakers have a myriad of issues, but one man must take the lion’s share of the blame. Even though he’s averaging his highest points per game since 2010, at a certain point, we must hold LeBron James accountable.
There is definitely some truth to the overused “LeGM” or “LeCoach” quips that run rampant on social media. Nothing happens in that organization without James’ stamp of approval.
He is the greatest basketball mind the sport has seen — he has faced every defensive coverage thrown at him, every team’s offensive playbook ingrained into his photographic memory. In a recent matchup with the Indiana Pacers, James was even caught on video calling out his opponent’s substitutions seconds before it happened.
So what exactly led this basketball savant to believe Russell Westbrook would be a good fit on the Lakers?
The 2020 squad that lifted the 17th banner in Staples Center served as the formula. James and Anthony Davis surrounded by scrappy 3-point shooters with defensive skill players who knew their role was a recipe for success.
Instead, James opted to disregard that blueprint, pressuring the front office to acquire Westbrook in hopes that the ball-dominant point guard could take on some playmaking duties and make James a more lethal off-ball player.
But when palms get sweaty, and every possession matters, you want the ball in LeBron James’ hands. This is a pass-first guy that will probably surpass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most points ever scored — you want him making the decisions down the stretch of tight games. Where does that leave Russell Westbrook?
Opponents will happily surrender jump shots to the inefficient nine-time All-Star, who’s shooting an abysmal 29.3% from beyond the arc and 39.4% from the midrange this season. Coaches will instruct their players to cheat off Westbrook and force James or Davis to see more bodies and clog up the paint.
James showed a complete lack of awareness in his own offensive play style when he asked to team up with Westbrook. James is a ball-dominant player, and he’s also a ball-stopper. Often, he will hunker down to the post, surveying the defense for several seconds before making a move. Or he might dribble the air out of the ball before forcing up a contested jump shot.
Meanwhile, no other Laker is moving.
Compare the Golden State Warriors offense — a well-oiled machine composed of ball movement and player movement — to the Lakers offense, which is an overabundance of isolation plays with a clear lack of a true offensive system.
James does almost everything on the basketball court at an all-time level, but he’s not a plug-and-play type of guy that can adapt to any constructed roster, especially in his 19th season in the league.
To maximize his chances at a championship, James needs to play alongside players that fit his mold, so it’s shocking that the smartest basketball player of all time thought Westbrook was the missing piece of the puzzle.
James’ obsession with putting together a different roster every season derailed any chance the Lakers have had at building genuine chemistry. General manager Rob Pelinka retained just three players from the previous season. This massive roster turnover came with 14 new players, many of whom had never played a minute of NBA basketball together.
This lack of continuity makes dealing with coronavirus cases or injuries so much harder, as players bounce in and out of the lineup on a daily basis. For Head Coach Frank Vogel, installing a legitimate offensive system becomes even more difficult, leading to isolation-heavy basketball and an overreliance on James, Westbrook and Davis.
James played against Westbrook for more than a decade, willingly giving up jumpers in an effort to deter the slasher from getting to the rim.
How long can he stand by and watch Westbrook hoist up jump shots, knowing full well that is exactly what the defense wants him to do?
James is the primary reason the Lakers have any wins this season at all, leading the team in scoring the last 18 games. Yet, he’s put himself in a position where he has to take on this monumental workload because of the roster that he put together — the roster that he specifically requested.
This time, LeBron James has no one to blame but himself.
Sahil Kurup is a sophomore writing about the Los Angeles Lakers’ quest for another championship. His column “Road to Revival” runs every other Friday.