3 Ways LeBron James Has Proved Worthy of Staying With the Lakers

With just one game to go in the 2025-26 regular season, LeBron James is suddenly back in the spotlight as the Los Angeles Lakers’ primary scorer and playmaker.

That was not the original idea when the 41-year-old entered his 23rd season. In fact, the franchise had clearly made a point of prioritizing building around Luka Doncic. The Slovenian guard has indeed been their primary scorer and playmaker, and was only joined by Austin Reaves after the latter proved he can step up when needed.

All this while, the oldest player in the league was nursing the sciatica he suffered in the offseason. When he returned, he looked out of place with Doncic and Reaves clearly playing off the chemistry they built during James’ absence.

Fans wanted the father of three to either retire or leave the Lakers, as they felt he had become a liability. Then came March, and that narrative changed. Now, those who argued against his staying in Los Angeles want him to continue playing at Crypto.com Arena. So what has changed for critics to want LeBron James to continue playing for the Lakers?

LeBron James’ adaptability has surprised everyone

Mind you, even LeBron James’ ardent fans could not defend his inclusion in the starting five, with many even advocating for him to be benched when the going was tough.

Now, that has changed after the league’s all-time scorer adjusted his playing style to suit the needs of the team. Gone was his tendency to demand the ball, and now, he was just standing in the corner waiting to be fed.

It worked both ways. On one hand, the four-time champion could gain an unreal amount of in-game rest and still be productive on both ends of the floor. On the other hand, he would be saving that energy for the postseason.

If not for Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves’ untimely injuries, the Lakers may have been an outside shot at this year’s NBA championship. With James playing free safety, the two could have gone to work in the way they know best.

The King could hang back and attack when their opponents least expect it. That alone makes them dangerous, especially if they have a deep roster to offset any schemes their opponents design to counter them.

LeBron James’ experience off the ball is valuable

One of the primary reasons LeBron James has been incredibly effective throughout his career has been his ability to galvanize those who play alongside him.

Other than his Miami Heat and the early days of his return to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Akron native has never had what one would term an extremely deep roster.

This edition of the Los Angeles Lakers is not very different, and the organization was rightly criticized for its lack of options off the bench. But James has been at the forefront of guiding them, even though he does not have the ball in his hands as much.

He used to lead as a true superstar when he had the ball in his hands. Now, without it, he is still capable of passing on instructions to his teammates based on what he sees. With more time off the ball, the player with the best IQ in the league has been able to push or nudge his teammates into making the right play.

The evidence, their 15-2 run in March, and recently, how he scolded his son, Bronny James, after a turnover. What the franchise does next offseason, in terms of player recruitment, they cannot afford to lose LeBron James’ otherworldly experience.

Lakers might not have a better shot at a title with LeBron James as the third wheel

Whenever Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves return to play, LeBron James will go back to his role of being the third wheel. That is what the Lakers need for them to win consistently again.

The team needs better players, which is why its oldest player needs to take a massive pay cut next season. However, if they believe that they can sign someone else in his place, just to save money, that might be a mistake.

It so happens that LeBron James syncs well with head coach and his former podcast partner, JJ Redick, and can be the latter’s extension on the floor. Whenever the younger players cannot handle their sometimes combative head coach, they will need the 22-time All-Star’s calming and humorous side to ensure peace remains.

More importantly, as proven in back-to-back games, James can still lead them if one or both of their leading superstars are injured. All of this, along with familiarity, makes him worthy of staying until the end of his career.

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