As the Los Angeles Lakers open their season with surprising momentum, all eyes are now turning to LeBron James, who has yet to make his first appearance this year. The Lakers spent the offseason restructuring the roster and redefining roles — a process that appears to be paying off. With Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves leading the charge, Los Angeles has emerged as a strong contender in the Western Conference even without James on the floor.

The Lakers Are Built to Compete

Despite speculation over James’ future with the franchise, his agent Rich Paul made it clear that the 20-time All-Star remains focused on competing at the highest level.

“LeBron wants to compete for a championship,” Paul told ESPN. “He understands the Lakers are planning for the future, but he still values a realistic chance to win. We appreciate the eight-year partnership with the Lakers — they’ve been a critical part of his career.”

The team’s early performance suggests James will be returning to one of the strongest supporting casts he’s had in Los Angeles.

Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves Are Setting the Tone

So far, Dončić and Reaves have shouldered the scoring and playmaking responsibilities — and done so at a historic level.

• Dončić opened the season with two straight 40+ point games, making him the first Lakers player ever to do so, and only the fourth player in NBA history with such a start (joining Michael Jordan, Anthony Davis, and Wilt Chamberlain).

• Reaves has posted one of the most efficient and productive five-game stretches the league has ever seen:

  • 34.2 points per game

  • 10 assists per game

  • 1.8 steals per game

  • 52.5% from the field

  • 38.5% from three

  • 89.7% from the line

According to Opta Stats, no player in NBA history has ever recorded that level of output across any five-game span.

Colin Cowherd Issues a Strong Message

However, sports analyst Colin Cowherd believes LeBron’s return could test the team’s chemistry if the 40-year-old tries to reclaim his previous superstar volume role.

“LeBron’s gotta fall in line or leave,” Cowherd said on The Herd.
“This is not Cleveland. It’s not even Miami. This team has found its identity.”

Cowherd suggested James may feel challenged by no longer being the unquestioned offensive centerpiece and warned that the Lakers cannot afford internal friction.

How Will LeBron Respond?

James has faced shifting roles before — in Miami alongside Wade, in Cleveland with Kyrie, and later playing as a point-forward in Los Angeles. Those close to the team believe LeBron will handle the transition professionally, especially as he approaches the later years of his career.

At age 40, taking fewer touches and playing smarter minutes could help prolong his impact deep into the postseason.

What Comes Next

LeBron’s return will likely determine:

• Whether the Lakers continue to build around Dončić and Reaves as primary scorers

• How James adjusts to being a strategic, efficiency-focused leader rather than a 35-minute-per-night engine

• Whether the team can maintain rhythm and chemistry with the rotation changes

For now, the Lakers are winning — and LeBron is walking back into a system that’s already working.

The question is not whether he can adapt.

It’s how quickly he will.