Paul Pierce's hot take about LeBron James might be right

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James. Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

Paul Pierce's hot take about LeBron James' ball dominance might be right

By Adam Taylor | Last updated 3/18/24

Paul Pierce wants to see LeBron James "take a step back" within the Los Angeles Lakers offensive system.

The veteran superstar is still the primary option within Darvin Ham's scheme, and Pierce believes that could be limiting the ball and player movement on the court.

"He gotta give the ball up a little more,” said Pierce. “Since All-Star break, look at his numbers. 29, nine and seven, 50 percent from the field, 45 from three. It’s not resultin’ in wins. When LeBron sat out, who’d they beat? Milwaukee, a contender. D-Lo had 40. They went to Boston and got a win without LeBron. I think he's older. He needs to take a step back. The less he does, the more it's gonna be for the team."

“Yes, LeBron’s been great numbers-wise, but he’s got to take a step back.”
@paulpierce34 on the Lakers loss to the Warriors pic.twitter.com/MjX1vofvT7
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) March 18, 2024

James is 39 years old. He's still one of the best players in the NBA. In 59 games, he's averaging 25.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 8.1 assists while shooting 53% from the field and 40.6% from three-point range. However, if the Lakers can be a more robust offensive unit with him playing more of an off-ball role, he needs to make the adjustment. He will still be a primary offensive talent, he will just be allowing his teammates to dictate the terms of engagement.

There's no point in putting up big numbers if your team is struggling to accumulate wins. That is the definition of an empty stat line. Last season, the Lakers made it to the Western Conference Finals. They improved their roster during the summer, so it's only logical to believe they're capable of making another deep postseason run.

James has always been a team player. Now, the best thing he can do to boost his chances of another championship is to explore how the offense works without him dominating the ball. After all, we know what it looks like with him running the show. If Ham's team suddenly starts stacking wins, it might be James' turn to start sacrificing for the team, just like countless of his teammates have done for him throughout his career.

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