At the center is LeBron James, now operating in a different lane. Under JJ Redick, he’s leaned into an off-ball, third-option role next to Luka Doncic. The efficiency is still elite.
As discussed by Chris Broussard on March 25, 2026, via First Things First on Fox Sports 1, questions are growing around whether this approach is sustainable, even if it’s working right now.
“We all talk about how high his basketball IQ is, historically high. There’s no way LeBron is sitting there watching Luka shoot 30 shots and miss 2/3 of them, thinking that’s smart.
“I think he realizes though this is the only way we can win. If I deplete myself the way D Wade did for LeBron, this is the best way we can win, but he knows that’s not smart basketball,” Broussard said.
The Lakers sure are rolling. However, the blueprint, at least for the time being, is still under debate.The Lakers sit 46-26, riding a 12-1 stretch into a matchup with the Indiana Pacers on March 26.
The future around James is getting louder by the day. With free agency looming this summer, there’s a real craze that this could be his final run with the Los Angeles Lakers. Nothing, though, has been confirmed.
The Lakers are winning. LeBron is playing a new role. And everyone is wondering: is this sustainable, or just a stopgap?