“Can’t Afford To”: LeBron James Explains How Low Usage Next to Luka Doncic Has Reduced His Turnovers

There aren’t many things more frustrating for a team than turning the ball over. That had become an annoying habit for the Los Angeles Lakers. It was time to re-tune their game in a way that reduces those mistakes, and the Lakers recently did just that. And the result was visible in none other than LeBron James’ numbers.

Yes, James has reduced the number of turnovers he commits per game. After the Lakers’ victory over the Grizzlies on Sunday, the King admitted that he has come to understand how “precious” the ball is.

He was possibly losing the ball often since he was previously the primary facilitator in the Lakers’ lineup. But after last February, when Luka Doncic arrived and took over that role, it forced James to adapt to a slightly different role.

Now, even though James remains a starter, he has often had to let Doncic run the show. And when it is his time to take over, LeBron can no longer afford to be lax and allow the opposition to strip the ball from him so easily.

“When your usage is a little bit down, you cannot afford to be turning the ball over a lot… You barely got the ball in your hand,” James stated. “So, I just make the most of it.”

James acknowledged that he has turned the ball over in his career a “fair share” of times, and that it’s something he hates. “It comes with the territory, having the ball in your hands,” he said.

The King also revealed that when he gets to the bench, the first thing he looks at is his turnover percentage. That habit suggests that he’s truly looking to improve himself on this front. “If they’re high, it su****, protecting the ball, has to be good.”

In the 2025-26 season, James has averaged around 2.4 turnovers per game, which seems like a lot. But compared to the 2023-24 campaign (3.5 turnovers per game) and the 2024-25 season (3.7 turnovers per game), it’s a stark improvement.

Yes, lower usage next to Doncic has reduced these numbers, but it also shows that James is paying more attention to not losing the ball. The 41-year-old is in the last leg of his career. He’s not the main star of a team for the first time in his career, and he’s busy trying to adapt to age and situations.