LeBron James is hurting the Los Angeles Lakers right now, and it has nothing to do with his legacy or his box-score production. The problem is effort, specifically on defense and on the glass, and it is becoming impossible to ignore.
On paper, LeBron’s numbers so far this season still look solid. He is averaging 20.2 points, 6.8 assists, and 5.1 rebounds in 33.3 minutes per game. But context matters. Those would be the lowest scoring and rebounding averages of his career, and his 31.1 percent shooting from beyond the arc means his offensive efficiency is not covering up weaknesses elsewhere.