Despite being surrounded by plenty of solid pieces, it’s apparent that the Cleveland Cavaliers’ superstar forward in LeBron James still do most of the heavy lifting for his team. James leads the Cavaliers in minutes, points, assists, steals, and blocks. We’re not sure about this, but we won’t be surprised to see LeBron James pulling the team bus to games also.
Apart from those, James tops the Cavs in shot attempts but still manages to shoot 58.6 percent from the field. It’s the kind of stuff only a generational talent like James can accomplish.
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James is playing in his 15th season in the league, and at 32-years-old, he’s more susceptible to fatigue today than in any of the past years. Of course, James will say he’s fit enough to last a season, but even The King needs a hand in carrying the burden.
Isaiah Thomas could’ve been a big help for LeBron James, but the guard is still far from a return to action, as he’s still nursing a hip injury that is keeping him sidelined this season.
Speaking to Howard Beck of Bleacher Report, James said that he is very much looking forward to having Isaiah Thomas active again.
The workload is OK, James insisted. He’s not worried about wearing down, even in this, his 15th season. But he noted, “I look forward to when IT returns, whenever that happens, to give me a break here and there, where I know he can run the offense and control a quarter or two, or a game if need be.”
For James, Thomas would greatly lighten the load on his shoulders. James could delegate some of the scoring and playmaking responsibilities to Thomas while he takes a breather or even when they’re sharing the court for the Cavs.
Isaiah Thomas doesn’t have to prove to LeBron James he could do that. Last season, Thomas’ name was included in most MVP conversations for the way he carried the Celtics to a 50-win season and to a deep playoff run. That year, Thomas put up a career-high 28.8 points and 5.9 assists per game. Ideally, he’ll be Kyrie Irving’s replacement minus the off-the-court issues of course.
Thomas’ target date of return is in January, but James and the Cavs are keeping their fingers crossed, hoping it could be earlier than that.
