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LeBron James says he’s trying to defer responsibility in Cavaliers offense

LeBron James

LeBron James is by far the most important piece of the Cleveland Cavaliers offense, but the superstar small forward is trying to phase himself out of being the primary ball-handler.

According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, James said he’s attempting to allow teammates to initiate the offense particularly in anticipation of Kyrie Irving’s eventual return.

“We’ve brought in some more guys that can handle the ball in obviously Mo Williams and also [Matthew Dellavedova]. And I’ve just tried to get the ball out of my hands a lot more knowing that, especially when [Kyrie Irving] gets back, we’re going to have three point guards that can initiate the offense.”

Depending on your overall outlook—and perhaps a personal bias—there are two ways to react to James’ comment, and both carry a bit of merit.

James doesn’t have to carry the team like he did during the 2015 NBA Finals. Kevin Love is back on the court, and Williams is a capable distributor at the point. James exerts so much energy on both sides of the floor that allowing him to occasionally take a breath or two on offense makes perfect sense.

On the other hand, it’s difficult to expect LeBron can once again handle a significant offensive load because he’s getting older.

Now, he’s approaching 31, which doesn’t seem tremendously old. However, James has never played fewer than 36 minutes per game in each of his 13 NBA seasons, logged at least 600 minutes in 10 straight postseasons and also appeared in international competition.

With that being said, no matter what side of the fence you choose is reasonable, and—gasp!—neither one is incorrect. Both James and the Cavaliers will benefit from a reduced offensive role.

Besides, it doesn’t mean James is removing himself from clutch moments. The best player in basketball isn’t preparing to leave the spotlight, he’s simply being more selective.

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