Is LeBron James Taking Leadership Role Too Far?

While his young teammates need grooming, is LeBron James taking leadership role too far?

After carrying the load in Miami, even with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, LeBron James followed his heart home to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers. It wasn’t a bad basketball decision either, as Cleveland was already home to Kyrie Irving and now Kevin Love.

With some younger–yet still very talented–teammates in Cleveland, James was hoping to teach them just how to win that oh-so coveted NBA championship. Seeing Irving and Love haven’t even made the playoffs before, there might be a lot to teach for LeBron.

After the Cavs start to the season, LeBron might not only need to teach his team how to win a championship, but just how to flat out win games, period.

Most recently falling victim to a Gordon Hayward buzzer beater, the Cavaliers now stand at 1-3, good enough for third in the Central Division and 11th in the East.

James knew it would take some time to build into a championship contender, saying this in his return letter on SI.com:

"I’m not promising a championship. I know how hard that is to deliver. We’re not ready right now. No way. Of course, I want to win next year, but I’m realistic. It will be a long process, much longer than it was in 2010. My patience will get tested. I know that."

"I’m going into a situation with a young team and a new coach. I will be the old head. But I get a thrill out of bringing a group together and helping them reach a place they didn’t know they could go. I see myself as a mentor now and I’m excited to lead some of these talented young guys. I think I can help Kyrie Irving become one of the best point guards in our league. I think I can help elevate Tristan Thompson and Dion Waiters. And I can’t wait to reunite with Anderson Varejao, one of my favorite teammates."

Now, of course, this was before Love was added into the mix, but it’s still a team that lacks defense (specifically a rim protector), and as Brian Windhorst pointed out, passing has become a problem, as well.

Kyrie Irving has played 5 quarters and taken 24 shots since his last assist.
— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) November 6, 2014

Dion Waiters just recorded his first assist in 10 quarters, took 25 shots in between them.
— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) November 6, 2014

No one is doubting LeBron’s drive, because even after winning two rings, we all know he wants to keep on winning them. Especially for Cleveland. James had to not only be “the guy” last season with Miami, but it seemed like he was the only guy at times. Wade was never reliable with his knee problems (although great while healthy), Bosh became less aggressive as the third option and just starting popping threes all game, and the others were mostly role players. No one is saying LeBron isn’t willing to kick it into overdrive and put the team on his back. But having some help had to make him feel more comfortable not doing as much.

Oct 30, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) reacts in the third quarter against the New York Knicks at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

While he is mentoring, he’s also giving himself a break.

Early on, his team hasn’t proven together enough for him to sit back and mentor. Cleveland’s current road trip had them facing the Trail Blazers, and in that game, James had his lowest scoring game since 2008. To go back even further, James had not scored two points in the last three quarters of a game since his rookie season, a task in which he managed vs. Portland. James’s totals were 11 points on 4-of-12 shooting (season-low in shots taken and made), seven rebounds, seven assists (season-high), along with 1 free throw attempt (season-low). That stat line has the makings of a mentoring game, as he shot less and passed more. And guess what? Cleveland lost by 19.

James followed that game up with a 31-point performance in Utah, but fell down while trying to cover the inbounds pass that went to Hayward, who hit the game-winner.

James said after the Utah loss that he realizes he’s played rather passive in losses, and passed maybe more than he should have.

He struggled in his return to Cleveland and the season opener (17 points and eight turnovers), but that was more from the emotion. In the following game in Chicago, James tallied 36 points in an overtime victory. Point being is James needs to play his best while this team gels and builds chemistry. He won’t always need to be “the guy” he needed to be in Miami last season, but this isn’t necessarily the time to be mentoring Irving, Love, and Waiters. He can form those players into the championship-winning studs he wants them to be after they learn how to play with each other, and maybe defend a little bit, too.

Cleveland has issues right now.

Even after they learn how to play with each other, they’ll have issues. Chemistry won’t fix not having a big body to protect the rim, but it can fix defensive rotations and ball movement, two issues currently killing the Cavs. Teaching the inexperienced players how to win will be beneficial for the team in the long run and the players individually, but as the Cavs showed in Portland, they are not a good team when James is passing more than shooting.

Before he becomes the wise mentor he wants to become, he needs to get this team on the right track. With his experience and expectations for this team, you can expect him to plug those leaky holes sooner rather than later.

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