LeBron James joined the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018 and many expected James to quietly ride off in the sunset while pursuing his post-retirement passions in LA. However, he’s been active on the court and breaking historic records with every game he plays. His Lakers stint has gone on for so long that he’s matched the number of games he played with the Miami Heat in his four seasons there.
James played 294 games for the Heat over four seasons, making it to four consecutive NBA Finals while winning two chips in 2012 and 2013. James’ Lakers stint hasn’t been as rewarding just yet, struggling with injuries since 2018 but winning a championship in a dominant 2020 title run.
Lakers LeBron James: 27.3 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 7.9 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.7 BPG
Heat LeBron James: 26.9 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 6.7 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.7 BPG
Lakers LeBron James’ Awards and Achievements: 1x Champion, 1x Finals MVP, 1x All-NBA First Team, 1x All-NBA Second Team, 2x All-NBA Third Team, 4x All-Star, 2020 Assists leader
Heat LeBron James Awards and Achievements: 2x Champion, 2x Finals MVP, 2x Regular Season MVP, 4x All-NBA First Team, 4x All-Star, 3x All-Defensive First Team, 1x All-Defensive Second Team
James has enjoyed tremendous success across both his stints on the Lakers and the Heat. The Heat version of him was in his physical prime and was virtually unstoppable, almost winning the 2013 MVP with a unanimous vote. He was unstoppable and a defensive menace in these four years. The highlights are so plentiful and incredible that it blows a lot of people’s minds that James’ time in Miami was as short as it was.
The Difference Between Heat LeBron And Lakers LeBron
By the time he joined the Lakers, LeBron couldn’t explode across the court the way he could in Miami. He was coming off carrying teams to the NBA Finals for eight consecutive seasons, which led to him reducing his defensive workload to ensure he could be healthy in the Playoffs. But Lakers LeBron wasn’t blessed with injury luck like prime Heat LeBron was.
His first season was scuppered in LA with injury, as well as his third season. His best version was seen in 2020, where he averaged the least points of his Lakers’ tenure but led the league in assists and the Lakers to a championship, something very few anticipated in 2018. The 2022 Lakers had a disastrous roster which led to LeBron’s most disappointing team season ever, finishing as the 11th seed in the West.
LeBron isn’t the same machine he was in Miami, but he’s still incredibly good. The numbers could be misleading, as LeBron is outperforming his Heat stats pretty comfortably in LA. But James joined the Heat in 2010 because he knew putting up numbers alone isn’t how you win championships. With a solid supporting cast around him now, it’ll be interesting to see what Year 6 in LA yields for LeBron.
It’s also interesting to note that it took LeBron more than five seasons to match the total games he played in Miami in just four seasons, showing how much his durability has waned. Even though James keeps defying Father Time with his production, it’s clear he isn’t the same player he was in Miami. He’s definitely smarter but he can’t do it alone the way he used to.
Hopefully, LeBron’s future in LA can see him continue contending and establish his status as a Lakers legend. People who thought he was coming to LA to make movies have been thoroughly disappointed as James continues to rewrite what longevity in the NBA means.
