Author’s note: This article was written on Saturday, Nov. 29, before the Lakers played games versus the New Orleans Pelicans and Phoenix Suns on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1.
Before year two of the Luka-LeBron era in Los Angeles began, the assumption was that Luka Doncic would be the primary scoring option and LeBron James would be the second option in his 23rd NBA season.
Fast forward to now, and James is the clear-cut third option for the Lakers’ offense.
The emergence of Austin Reaves, paired with Doncic’s MVP form this season, has made James’ workload less than expected. Albeit James has only played four games this season, it appears his season-long averages will noticeably dip from last year.
Last season, James played in 70 regular-season games averaging 24.4 points per game, his lowest scoring average since his rookie year. This year, he’s averaging 16.5 points per game despite playing over 30 minutes in every contest.
A key factor that has allowed James to take on a lessened workload is Doncic’s ability to run Lakers head coach JJ Redick’s offense. Doncic has become the team’s primary ball handler and facilitator. For players that have logged at least 35 minutes this season, Doncic ranks first in usage rate and seventh in assist percentage in the NBA.
Not only does Doncic lead the league in points per game at 35.1, but he also draws so much attention to himself that his teammates have better opportunities to score with improved spacing.
The role Doncic is playing this year, taking on massive scoring and facilitating responsibilities, is the role LeBron James has played throughout most of his career. This is the first time we will see James play an entire season where he can score primarily because of his teammates’ playmaking abilities, rather than his own.
The player who has benefitted most from Luka’s prowess this season is fifth-year guard Austin Reaves. When Luka is not the primary ball handler, Reaves has the green light from coach Redick to let it fly. Reaves is having another breakout season, averaging 28.5 points per game, and is expected to make his first All-Star Game this year if he keeps up this pace. It seems like each year Reaves takes a step forward in his development and gets more comfortable becoming a go-to guy for the Lakers. Not only can Reaves put the ball on the floor and create his own shot, he is a solid catch-and-shoot 3-point shooter that can thrive off Doncic’s playmaking.
Before this year, there were also question marks regarding how free-agent signing Deandre Ayton would fit into the Lakers’ lineup. Thus far, Ayton has checked off all the boxes, as he’s shooting a career-high 70.7% from the field while serving as a lob threat that Doncic likes to play with and defense have to respect.
The Lakers currently rank sixth in offensive rating, and their scoring has allowed them to ride a six-game winning streak.
This season, Luka Doncic has looked unguardable and Austin Reaves has developed into an elite secondary scoring option. Once LeBron returns to the court, the Lakers will have the makings of another championship roster.
