NBA Exec: Lakers 'Traded for a More Engaged' LeBron James in Luka Doncic Deal
Even though LeBron James has said publicly that he considers Anthony Davis to be one of his best friends, the Los Angeles Lakers' decision to trade the star forward for Luka Dončić may have helped light a fire under the NBA's all-time leading scorer.
One league executive told ESPN's Brian Windhorst the acquisition of Dončić was about more than just adding a 26-year-old superstar.
"They also traded for a more engaged LeBron," the executive said.
There have been times in the past when James has admitted to "waiting around" to see what his teams will do and if they can figure things. It's certainly a unique strategy, to say the least, but one that can have rough consequences for the team.
Eddie House, who played on the 2010-11 Miami Heat, said James "quit" on the team during their NBA Finals loss to the Dallas Mavericks.
James called that series against the Mavs the "lowest" point of his stellar career. It's safe to say he has rebounded from that more than fine.
There was nothing wrong with how James was playing before the Lakers brought in Dončić on Feb. 2. He averaged 24.0 points on 51.3 percent shooting, 9.1 assists and 7.6 rebounds per game in 44 starts through Feb. 1.
One key factor for James and the Lakers amid their current eight-game winning streak is defense. They have the best defensive rating (104.8) in the NBA since the All-Star break. No other team is within 2.5 points of their rating, with the Milwaukee Bucks in second at 107.4.
Lakers head coach JJ Redick has made a point of emphasizing James' efforts on the defensive end of the court, telling reporters after a Feb. 25 win over the Dallas Mavericks he's "playing at an All-NBA defense level."
While there was every reason in the world for the Lakers to make the trade for Dončić when it was presented to them by the Mavericks, the fact it seems to have reenergized James for the stretch run this season is a huge bonus.
That duo has pushed the Lakers up to the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. Their eight-game winning streak is their longest since the 2019-20 season when they won the NBA championship.
