LeBron James Isn’t Done Yet - He’s Just Getting Warmed Up
It wasn’t the smoothest start to the season for LeBron James, and for a minute, it looked like Father Time might finally be catching up. The Lakers opened the year with more questions than answers, and James, still working his way back from a sciatica issue, looked like a passenger instead of the engine. The doubters were loud - maybe this was the year the King finally looked mortal.
But if the last four games are any indication, LeBron’s not ready to hand over the crown just yet.
Let’s rewind for a second. James had a rough stretch to open the season - by his standards, at least.
He dropped below double-digit scoring in a game, snapping a legendary streak that had defined his consistency for nearly two decades. That moment sparked a wave of hot takes about decline, age, and whether the Lakers needed to start thinking about life after LeBron.
But context matters. James was still playing catch-up after dealing with sciatica, and that kind of injury doesn’t just go away overnight - especially for a 38-year-old with more NBA mileage than anyone in league history. Still, the whispers grew louder.
Then came the switch.
Since missing the second night of a back-to-back against Boston, James has looked like, well, LeBron James again. Over the last four games, he's averaging 25.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 1.5 blocks, and 1.0 steal per game.
He’s shooting a blistering 53.8% from the field. That’s not just a bounce-back - that’s a reminder.
The most impressive part? He’s doing it while adapting to a shifting role.
With Austin Reaves sidelined the last two games due to a calf strain, there was talk that LeBron had taken a backseat to Reaves and Luka Doncic in the pecking order. But with Reaves out, James has seamlessly stepped back into a primary role - and hasn’t missed a beat.
He’s not just scoring - he’s orchestrating. The playmaking has been vintage LeBron, threading passes through tight windows, setting up shooters, and making the kind of reads that only a handful of players in NBA history could even see, let alone execute.
Marcus Smart, who’s been the beneficiary of some of those pinpoint passes, gave credit where it was due after a strong shooting night from deep. “Shout out to Luka and those guys, LeBron, [for] finding me,” Smart said after knocking down five of his nine three-point attempts.
That’s the thing about LeBron - even when the shot isn’t falling, the vision is always there. It’s what kept him afloat during the early-season struggles, and it’s what’s making him look like himself again now that his legs are back under him.
The Lakers, for their part, are still a work in progress. There are flaws - some big, some fixable - but when LeBron is locked in like this, they’ve got a chance on any given night. The more he settles in, the more dangerous this team becomes.
People have been waiting for the cliff for years. And every time it feels like LeBron might finally be approaching the edge, he finds another gear.
At this point, it’s clear: the King isn’t done. Not even close.