. To remove all subtlety about his feelings about the trade, James mentioned aloud in the locker room as Hachimura was walking out: “Feels good to have another 6-8 wing in this.”
That makes LeBron happy. Even though it might not have seemed it on Tuesday night when a reporter recounted to him about general manager Rob Pelinka’s approach to finding a trade, stressing the need for patience for a deal that would make the Lakers a frontrunner. The reporter asked James how that philosophy sat with him.
“Our captains, LeBron and Anthony Davis, are always involved in what Coach Ham is doing, what the front office is doing,” he said Tuesday at Hachimura’s introduction. “At the same time, I think LeBron said it really well at the press conference the other night when he said, ‘My job is to play basketball. The front office’s job is to do their job and build a roster. And Coach Ham’s job is to coach.’ I agree with that. We all have to do our jobs and do them with excellence and all be together.
The Lakers’ 2-10 start was abjectly bleak. But one of the most discouraging parts was that James was a shadow of himself. In those first 12 games, James averaged 24.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and 6.9 assists – familiar numbers – but his efficiency was brutal, shooting just 45.7% and hitting just 17 of his team-high 71 threes. His defense left much to be desired. As the Lakers blew close games, James was definitely hurting the team, and they were minus-61 in his minutes during that stretch.
That disgruntled cry brought some intriguing reactions, including: Would the Lakers and LeBron ever split? Would the team look to trade their franchise star, the 2020 Finals MVP, this summer?Without Davis, James reeled off an incredible run, averaging 34.6 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.6 assists while guiding the Lakers to a 10-10 record, a respectable mark given the team’s limitations without Davis and a slew of other injuries. The Lakers were plus-85 in his 613 minutes in that span.
The strategy James has practiced since then is distance from the front office. Last April at his exit interview,: “It’s my job to make sure that I’m ready at the start of training camp, and ready to lead the franchise and lead the team that’s put on the floor, whoever that may be. So that is my focus.”