3 reasons why LeBron James won't win his second NBA assists title in 2024-25 season

Despite being in his record-tying 22nd NBA season, LA Lakers superstar forward LeBron James is in the midst of one of the best passing campaigns of his career.

At the All-Star break, James is averaging 9.0 assists per game through 48 outings. That designates the third-highest mark of his career, trailing only his 2017-18 (9.1 apg) and 2019-20 seasons (10.2 apg).

In 2020, James took home his first NBA assists title, beating out Atlanta Hawks star point guard Trae Young (9.3 apg). While the four-time MVP appeared poised to threaten for the crown again this year, a few circumstances have made him unlikely to do so.

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3 factors preventing LeBron James from securing his second NBA assists title in 2024-25 season

#3 Shared playmaking duties with Luka Doncic

LA Lakers superstars Luka Doncic and LeBron James (Image Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images)

The Lakers shook up their rotation with their Feb. 2 blockbuster trade with the Dallas Mavericks, shipping out Anthony Davis in exchange for Luka Doncic.

With the superstar swap, LA got smaller and now lacks a proven starting center. However, it also added more playmaking and outside shooting.

Doncic and James are expected to split facilitating duties for the rest of the season. Once up to speed, Doncic could also become the team's primary distributor with James spending more time off-ball.

Thus, Doncic's presence will likely continue to diminish the four-time NBA champion's assists output. Through two contests with the five-time All-Star by his side, James is averaging 7.5 apg.

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#2 No more pick-and-rolls with Anthony Davis

Former LA Lakers teammates Anthony Davis and LeBron James (Image Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images)

Another ramification of the Davis-for-Doncic deal is the end of James and Davis' two-man game. During Davis' five-and-a-half-year tenure with LA, James regularly set up the big man for easy baskets in the pick-and-roll.

Over 42 appearances with the Lakers this season, Davis averaged 25.7 points per game on 52.8% shooting. Meanwhile, James and Davis were the league's seventh-most-frequent assist-scorer combination (100).

However, with the 10-time All-Star gone, LA no longer has a dominant center capable of finishing inside at a high rate. Instead, James and Co. are left working with role players like Jaxson Hayes and Alex Len, likely giving James fewer opportunities to rack up assists.

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#1 Too far behind Trae Young on assists-per-game leaderboard

Atlanta Hawks star point guard Trae Young (Image Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images)

While James ranks top four in assists (9.0 apg), he trails the league leader, Young (11.5 apg), by a considerable margin.

The 21-time All-Star could conceivably edge out Detroit Pistons star guard Cade Cunningham (9.4 apg) for a top-three finish. However, he appears unlikely to surpass Young or second-ranked Denver Nuggets superstar center Nikola Jokic (10.2 apg), given their clear-cut roles as primary offensive initiators.

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