The Los Angeles Lakers have started the 2025-26 season with a quiet, almost shocking statement: they don’t need LeBron James to dominate in order to win. Perhaps it was all part of the front office’s strategy. With All-Star LeBron finally making his regular-season debut, the Lakers had already won three straight games without Deandre Ayton, and the team sits at 11-4. One game in, and James is easing his way into a roster that has already proven it can succeed without him.
But here’s the twist: success without LeBron only sets the stage for what he can bring. This isn’t about leading the team in points or carrying the squad on his back. Instead, it’s about being the difference-maker, the X-factor who can push a good team into true championship contention. With the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder looming in the West, the Lakers need more than promising starts—they need LeBron to turn potential into dominance.
For most Lakers fans, the burning question is simple: is this enough? Can a team that can win without its greatest star actually win it all? The answer is complicated. Unlike the championship teams LeBron led in the past, this iteration of the Lakers isn’t leaning entirely on him to be the savior. The supporting cast is strong, balanced, and, crucially, rising in confidence and production. In this context, James doesn’t have to carry the load—he just has to tilt the scales when it matters most.
LeBron is far from done. At 40, he remains an elite force on the court. Last season, he averaged 24.4 points on 51.3% shooting, including 37.6% from deep, with 8.2 assists, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per game. His ability to impact a game hasn’t faded; it’s now more strategic, more surgical. He may no longer be the team’s statistical leader, but he is still its ultimate weapon.
Meanwhile, Luka Doncic has taken center stage. Averaging 34.6 points, 9.0 assists, and 1.9 steals per game, the Dallas star-turned-Lakers’ focal point is producing MVP-caliber numbers that keep the team in elite company. Austin Reaves is also shining brighter than ever, posting 28.1 points on 49% shooting, 7.6 assists, and 5.1 rebounds per game. This duo is turning heads and redefining what a LeBron-led team can look like.
The 2025-26 Lakers are a paradox: strong without LeBron, yet potentially unstoppable with him. The strategy seems clear—let the team grow, let the young stars flourish, and save LeBron’s dominance for the moments that matter most. If the chemistry holds, the Lakers could prove that greatness isn’t about one player, even one as transcendent as LeBron James. It’s about timing, balance, and knowing when the king should truly wear his crown.
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