The importance of role players was never lost to LeBron James, but after his elimination with the Los Angeles Lakers he gained a new importance that has come to remember the impact of the latest role players.
The Los Angeles Lakers were packed in just five games by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA playoffs this season.
The Timberwolves exploits have clearly proven that they are not the normal fifth species ever since, but the contrast in the role-player contributions between the two teams has been harsh.
JJ Redick was breaking all the wrong kind of records by playing the starter on the ground, but Timberwolves had a deep bench.
The deep bench was something LeBron James had alongside Miami’s “Heatle,” and he recently spoke at length about how it could become a thinly veiled message to the Lakers.
No player will win multiple rings without the help of his teammates, as did Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic this season.
The four rings of James’ career came along with Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love, Chris Bosch, Dwyane Wade and others.
But what those teams had was an incredible cast of role players who knew their roles on the tee and played perfectly.
James recently spoke about the importance of role players on a game podcast. I went back to something like Steve Kerr, but focused on the impact of one player who won the ring on him.
He said: “For you to succeed in our league, roles have to play a big role. They have to star in their roles and be very confident in that role.
“They don’t try to become star players, they don’t go outside of what they’re doing. They know exactly what they’re trying to do.
Those guys, you talk about the T star about the stars in their role, those guys play big and the best thing about it, don’t go outside who they are and they are committed to the team. ”
Having a star in town is already the best way to get an overqualified role like Ray Allen. It was with James’ Miami Heat.
Luckily for the Lakers, the presence of James and Luka Donsic means they don’t have a hard time navigating those waters.
Next, there’s the part where you need to identify flaws in the roster, and the Lakers also cover that as a large hole stares at your face in the center.
Rob Perinka makes it clear that changes are coming, and James’ expertise and history of identifying ideal role players will have to be surgically accurate.
With James not young and the pressure on Donsic not being lighter, it’s impossible for a Mark Williams to have a midseason accident.
