The Lakers are still contemplating how often to use LeBron James at center this season, Harrison Faigen of SB Nation’s Silver Screen and Roll writes. Los Angeles has seen success with James at the five, albeit in a small sample size, but the team doesn’t want to overextend its 36-year-old superstar.
“It’s something we talk about,” head coach Frank Vogel said. “It’s something we consider. But you have to measure what that does for his workload… and whether that’s something that we just want to use in small doses when needed, or if it’s going to become part of us on a regular basis.”
James has played positions 1-through-4 at different points of his career. Having the ability to also play the five is unprecedented, but it’s something he may need to do when Anthony Davis sits this season. Having lost to the Kings on Saturday, the Lakers dropped to seventh in the Western Conference (10-11).
Here are some other notes from the Pacific:
- Kings forward Harrison Barnes and center Richaun Holmes both missed Saturday’s game, but interim coach Alvin Gentry is confident the duo won’t be sidelined for long, James Ham of ESPN 1320 tweets. Barnes is day-to-day with a sprained right foot, while Holmes is dealing with a non-COVID-related illness.
- Klay Thompson had a vulnerable moment after the Warriors‘ victory over Portland on Friday, Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic writes. Thompson was seen sitting on the bench once the game ended for 35 minutes, clearly wanting to be part of the team’s success. He last played in an NBA game during the 2019 Finals, but he appears to be moving closer toward a return. He suffered torn ACL in 2019 and tore his Achilles in 2020 during a pick-up game.
- Suns forward Mikal Bridges is making an early case for Defensive Player of the Year, Evan Sidery of BasketballNews.com opines. Bridges has provided a serious defensive boost for Phoenix, who ranks second in the Western Conference at 16-3. The team has also won 15 straight games.
Didn’t James play some games at center with the Heat? That wouldn’t make this move unprecedented, just a new strategy to employee. Not that I really have any opinion on it other than that fact.
Lebron at center won’t change things. Firing GM Lebron will. The Westbrook trade single handedly shut the window.
LeBron is the GM so let him play the 5
Limiting LeBron and AD to no more than 35 minutes a game would give them better results. That is their problem not playing bench players to keep them motivated and synch with rest of the team. Vogel needs to man up and not let LeBron tell him how to do his job.
Why do you assume Vogel agrees with you on a topic that may exceed your lifespan?— LJ is best off skipping whole games, not shorted minutes. Silver would complain that either hurts the NBA though, even while Kawhi and others can do load management apparently without causing causing such harm.
Mikal is balling. And to think we took Knox instead. That’s Fizdale …….
Suns rocked Knicks. And Bridges was doing what he always did at Garden. His Big East days. Suns are good.
Great matchup Tuesday. Warriors at Suns, 10 pm Eastern TNT.
You see, SAC played MBIII & they won… there is food for thought, right?
Love this graphic of Lebron, it’s one of only 2 faces he makes. This one where he’s constantly complaining and the other being that stoic I’m the greatest player in history a-hole look he does.
Lakers lost to the kings who had 2 starters out.
I watched the game and man was it ugly.
Far to slow and static on offence and just predictable.
Defensively better but all over the place.
Come over time The Lakers didn’t pass the ball it was all Bron Russ or AD. Although Melo and Monk were playing great and are better shooters.
I didn’t see the point at all of keeping Melo in the game if your not using him as a shooter cause defensively he was getting beat.
The Kings ended up getting countless key rebounds and the Lakers should’ve brought on Dwight Howard to match Alex Len and get some boards. Instead they played AD at the 5 who was a passenger.
Buddy Heild showed why they should’ve traded for him and not Russ. He hit a couple key shots and his spacing was key. Whereas Russ who didn’t have a bad game just isn’t a good fit and ended up on the losing side
Westbrook’s fumbled rebound prior to the 1st OT would have secured them the game, i think…
Russ played a very good game, better than LBJ & AD that is for sure, he can’t be blamed for this loss!
Russ did play well indeed
Giving up those offensive rebounds late was the dagger- No excuse to a small team like Sac sans Holmes – They were purely outhustled for those boards and got a well deserved L b/c of it
They had the looks of a team thinking they deserved a victory for just showing up- This team is nowhere near that good to ever expect that
AD and LeBron shot a combined 2-18 from 3-pt. That’s bad offense and decision making, lazy basketball. Deserved the loss.
AD’s developing 3 from 2019 seems like a distant afterthought now
Sure does. Lucky he hit that one against DEN.