With LeBron James showing openness to playing a different role, the Lakers steamed past the Utah Jazz in his season debut. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves have been fantastic with scoring the ball. From the numbers and their stature alone, you would think all three will feature in the starting lineup going forward. But JJ Redick doesn’t see it that way.

Redick is a practical coach, someone who will hold no bias and do what’s best for the team. Since the beginning, his approach to having a set starting lineup has been relaxed. Redick doesn’t want to emphasize having a pre-determined group of players on the floor. His focus instead is to judge the best combinations in practice and make his decision.

“It was good. I think there were stretches that were really good, there were stretches I didn’t think were great. We’re gonna make decisions based on how the team is playing and how the groups work together. I’m not like beholden to one thing throughout the season. But I feel comfortable with that lineup, they played a ton of minutes together at the end of last season, minus DA. So we’ll continue to build on that,” Redick said about having a fixed starting lineup, according to Daniel Starkland.

Does that mean LeBron James won’t be starting in his historic 23 season? Probably not. The pairing between him and Luka Doncic has worked seamlessly. The Lakers are 16-8 with them together. But everything else is interchangeable, including Austin Reaves. As good as the Lakers’ record is, the team isn’t satisfied with its basketball yet. Areas such as three-point shooting or defense are yet to be addressed.

So there’s a chance Marcus Smart gets plugged into the starting lineup as a ball hawk next to Doncic. Jake LaRavia’s size and high activity could also earn him a spot instead of Rui Hachimura. Figuring out combinations is about finding a balance without compromising one side of the ball. However, it seems for now, JJ Redick is satisfied with running the same lineup as he did against the Utah Jazz.

De’Andre Ayton is beginning to understand teammates well. The former number one pick has had a 20-point double in each of his last three games. Hence, having a variety of ball handlers to run the pick-and-roll with Ayton is clearly a positive for the Lakers. Over the last five games, he’s recording a +8.5 net differential for the team.

Adding a motivated LeBron James to the mix could improve their team’s number, too. But one writer feels the Lakers also need to be careful about buying into the team.

LeBron James’ body language could be a concern for the Lakers

Before making his season debut, there were doubts about LeBron James’ future with the Lakers. In some of the games on the sidelines, he sat stoically for the entire game. But against the Jazz, he was all smiles, connecting with his teammates and creating a positive atmosphere in the building.

But Yaron Weitzman feels it could be temporary. He recently said, “When he thinks the team is good and has a legit shot at winning a championship he’s really in but when he doesn’t that’s when you see all that passive aggressive stuff, not showing up, the sulking, coaches saying teammates see that when hes upset or the dropped shoulders all that stuff,” he told Bomani Jones.

And in fairness, players have noticed this in the past. Notably, in 2019, Rajon Rondo organized a players-only meeting. It was a platform for young players to vent and share their thoughts. One of Rondo’s goals was to show James how his demeanor affects the team. “I tried to get [James] to focus on his body language…Those young guys were looking at everything he did. If they missed four shots in a row and LeBron was making a face, it was crushing to them,” the former Lakers guard told ESPN.

Having a senior player, and one of the leaders, do so helped LeBron James address those flaws. It may still happen, but he acknowledged that he is actively working on improving his nature on the court. Whether that has an adverse effect this year is uncertain. With Luka Doncic in, James isn’t exposed to the same workload as carrying the team on his back as he did in the past.

The Lakers have shown that they can gut out wins, even without one of their pillars. Now, his return has seen confidence grow in his teammates. So as of right now, it doesn’t seem to be a concerning problem. But it is still essential for James to keep his on-court personality in check for the Lakers to reach their ceiling and chase championship aspirations. After all, for many, he’s the GOAT or at least one of the most iconic players in basketball history.

It’s difficult to keep composure when things aren’t going smoothly. But as one of the talismans of the team, keeping the team’s morale high and being supportive towards teammates is vital in building a close unit. He will be tested as a leader. And although there are instances where James has come short, for the most part, teammates speak positively about his involvment and influence.