3 on-court reasons for LeBron James to join the Los Angeles Lakers

2. Style of play

The Cavaliers have been an isolation-heavy offense all season with the other four members of the court standing around the perimeter waiting for LeBron to make a play for them or himself. The ball movement is scarce, the pace is slow and nobody outside of LeBron touches the ball a lot, something highlighted by the absence of Kyrie Irving when comparing this season to recent seasons.

With a proper sidekick like Kyrie or Dwyane Wade at his side, we saw LeBron at his best offensively. They played an up-tempo style of offense, which allowed James to leak in transition and not come back to bring the ball up the floor every time out. Remember the iconic play from his days with the Miami Heat? The full-court alley-oop with Wade?

Or this one?

There’s no reason these types of plays where James leaks out behind the defenses couldn’t be duplicated alongside Lonzo Ball and his unique style of pushing the ball up the floor. The Lakers play up-tempo and would encourage LeBron to get the ball and attack the second he rebounds it with floor runners next to him.

If the game slows down in the half-court, he will be a in a friendly environment with four shooters and creators next to him. The space would make life easier for him and make this offense potent. You either help on LeBron drives, or deal with Kyle Kuzma, Lonzo, Ingram, Julius Randle and Josh Hart shooting from the outside or attacking on close-outs.

The game would be a much more modern setting for LeBron in Los Angeles compared to Cleveland, and make the game much easier with the increase in talent the Lakers possess in comparison to the Cavs.