During the 2025-26 season, James had the lowest career usage rate of 26.2 percent

During the 2025-26 season, James had the lowest career usage rate of 26.2 percent, with 20.9 points per game, 7.2 assists per game, and 6.1 rebounds per game; these statistics indicate how far down the pecking order James was behind Doncic and Reaves. However, there were some difficulties for James, Doncic, and Reaves with developing chemistry among themselves at the beginning of the 2025-26 season until Reaves found his place as a second scoring option at the beginning of March 2026.

Los Angeles won 15 games and lost only twice during that month, with James claiming that he was ready to make personal sacrifices for the greater good of the team. But everything changed on April 2 when both Doncic and Reaves were sidelined in a 139-96 loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder, with Doncic suffering from a Grade 2 hamstring strain and Reaves having a Grade 2 oblique strain, which left him sidelined until the start of the playoffs.

With his co-stars off the court, James took center stage to score 30 points, grab nine rebounds, and dish out 15 assists in the following game against the Dallas Mavericks, which, according to Murray, made James very pleased that he could carry a team single-handedly. Starting a season without him on the team is going to be different for me." Reaves, who joined the Lakers in 2021, has been playing with James for five out of his five years in the NBA.