“Dwyane Wade and Kyrie Irving took a backseat when LeBron James arrived”: Many NBA insiders believe James will have to change his game to accommodate Russell Westbrook

In light of Russell Westbrook struggling to be a fit with the LA Lakers, some NBA journalists have called out LeBron James for not being able to co-exist with the former OKC superstar.

The current off-season had the LA Lakers acquire Russell Westbrook in a blockbuster trade. However, many felt the former MVP would have a hard time sharing the ball with Anthony Davis and LeBron James. Though only a few games into the season, the above notion seems to be coming true.

The Lakers currently hold a 2-3 record in the west. Their recent loss to the Thunder has raised a few eyebrows since they blew a 26-point lead. Though James didn’t play the last two games, some critics and pundits have raised a few questions about his role with the team.

In his 19-year old career, James has played with some of the best talents in the league, including Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love. The four-time champion most recent pairing being with Anthony Davis in LA.

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In all these years, James has always been the centerpiece, whether it was Miami or Cleveland. The superstar never changed his game while the others around him made sacrifices. However, with Westbrook on the roster this time, James needs to make a few adjustments to his game.

LeBron James needs to sacrifice this season to win.

According to a few NBA insiders, James has never sacrificed in his career. These statements may come across as slightly harsh since James ranks 8th on the list of all-time leaders in assists. The four-time Finals MVP has one of the best basketball minds the league has ever seen.

During an appearance at the Bill Simmons podcast, NBA journalist J.A. Adande had the following to say.

“The whole key is whether or not LeBron is ready to say ‘Here, you take it.’ When LeBron went to Miami, everyone talked about ‘You gotta sacrifice?’ LeBron never sacrificed. LeBron goes to Miami, Bosh and Wade see their usage rate goes down, LeBron’s stayed the same. LeBron goes back to Cleveland, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving’s usage rate goes down, LeBron’s stayed the same.”

Adande does make some valid points. Nonetheless, one cannot deny that in each case, James bought the respective teams a couple of rings. With Westbrook signing with the Lakers, James may have to change his game to accommodate Mr. Triple-Double.

According to Filip Trivic of the basketball network, a player playing alongside James can at max be his best sidekick. The Lakers superstar can never be the second-best player on his team.

LeBron’s is a brilliant basketball mind, but he never used his brilliance to change his game and role – he uses it to help you change yours. There’s the best version of yourself to be the best possible LeBron sidekick, and James will adapt to help you excel in that role, but he never really sacrificed to help someone be the best version of themselves. It’s always been about being the best version that complements LeBron.

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Both Westbrook and James have had the ball most of the time in their entire pro basketball careers. With the former league MVPs being on the same team now, someone would have to take a step back, since that’s the only way they can win a chip this year.

About the author

Arjun Julka

Arjun Julka is a NBA author at The SportsRush. Basketball isn’t just a sport for this 26-year-old, who hails from Mumbai. He began watching the sport after stumbling upon a court in his society, helping him identify an undiscovered passion for the game of hoops. Now an ardent fan, Arjun supports Stephen Curry and the Warriors but also enjoys watching Giannis Antetokounmpo own the paint. When it comes to the GOAT debate, the TSR author feels LeBron James is yet to receive a lot of his due but cannot deny marveling at Michael Jordan’s resume.

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