LeBron James seems set to shift focus to NBA all-time scoring list

If LeBron James really wants to change his playing style, he could have a bigger goal in mind.

Since securing the services of LeBron James, adding a second star has seemed to be the likely follow-up move for the Los Angeles Lakers. But Rajon Rondo, Lance Stephenson and JaVale McGee have been smaller-than-expected moves in free agency, and the overall fit of that trio with the rest of the roster is debatable.

Consulting James on any moves is obvious, and that is just what the Lakers have reportedly done. But Ramona Shelburne and Brian Windhorst of ESPN have added the layer that James wants to change or “re-imagine” his playing style going forward too.

James has always compared better to Magic Johnson than Michael Jordan, with his passing ability and unselfishness. But part of Johnson’s pitch to James on signing with the Lakers included surrounding him with a different type of player than was around him Cleveland, in order to move him off the ball and give him more freedom offensively.

Lonzo Ball is in place with rare ability as a passer, and Rondo has been a fairly ball dominant, pass-first point guard throughout his career. Floor spacing issues aside, James may not have to facilitate the entire offense with the Lakers the way he did for most of his time with the Cavaliers. That would free him up to become a more variable off-the-ball scorer and operate from other areas of the floor, which is a scary proposition for opponents.

But as always, James probably has a bigger plan he wants to pursue and execute — which there’s nothing wrong with.

At press time, James is seventh on the NBA’s all-time scoring list with 31,038 points. That puts him just over 7,000 behind all-time leader Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387 points). Assuming somewhere around or just over 2,000 points per season, where James has been through most of his career, approximately three-and-a half seasons would put him past Kareem as the league’s all-time leading scorer. Under his four-year deal with the Lakers, he would also set the record in the same purple and gold jersey Abdul-Jabbar did.

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James is keenly aware of his legacy and impact. From the jersey number he wears, to how many titles he wins to what he’ll do as an entertainment mogul now and after basketball. The NBA’s all-time scoring record is not necessarily an obvious pursuit, beyond it just naturally happening in due course. But as a measure of proficiency and longevity, there is no greater accomplishment for James to pursue.