Kuzma, as noted earlier in the article, shows flashes of brilliance. When paired with James, the two-man lineup posts a net rating of 14.2, one of four two-man lineups that include Kuzma that is a +10.0 or better, per NBA stats. Kuzma has been a direct beneficiary from that.
It’s proven to be beneficial for James, as he’s logged an average of 2.32 miles per game, his lowest since 2015-16.
The idea is simple - everyone but James moves, James will find you. While James scores when needed, he’s conserved energy because of the danger he poses as an offensive threat with the ball in his hands. This year, with the Los Angeles Lakers going all-in on “Point LeBron” (57 percent of his minutes have been at the point guard position this season per Basketball Reference, a number that has sat at zero percent since his rookie year) they’ve leaned into the strategy of giving the ball to their best player for as many minutes as possible. Some of that is the natural arc of their careers, but James does have a knack for inspiring those around him to be better and using his gravity to open things up for his teammates. Smith and Iman Shumpert are some of the obvious players that James has lifted in his time with them that have faded rather quickly after they parted ways. Norris Cole had a substantial part of two Miami Heat championships and struggled to carve out a meaningful NBA career after James left Miami. LeBron James has a tendency to lift the careers of players who might otherwise have faded.
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