Insider suggests LeBron James' absence has helped Luka Doncic settle into offensive role with Lakers

The LA Lakers got one of the faces of the league in one of the most debated trades in NBA history.

Now, after a bit of a slow start with his new team, Luka Doncic is finally starting to look like the player he was with the Dallas Mavericks.

Notably, his best games have come in LeBron James' absence. James has missed the Lakers' past five games, and Doncic has looked much more comfortable during that span.

Lakers insider and The Athletic reporter, Jovan Buha, believes James' absence might have actually helped Doncic get settled in on the offense:

"Dončić has scored 30-plus points in five of seven games, an indication that he is trending toward being the 30-point, triple-double threat he’s been since coming into his own early in his career," Buha said in a Lakers-related Q&A for The Athletic on Wednesday.

"He’s looked increasingly comfortable running high pick-and-rolls with Jaxson Hayes, who has benefited the most of any Lakers player since Dončić’s arrival. The only blemish has been his turnovers, which have been a bit of an issue, especially with defenses keying in on him with James out of the lineup."

The Lakers are currently fourth in the Western Conference, and with James inching closer to a return, they could close out the season on a high note. This will, of course, be contingent on Doncic continuing this hot stretch even when his star teammate returns.

The Lakers need to fix their offense, says Buha

The Western Conference race is as tight as it's ever been, but the Lakers have the defensive prowess to be a legitimate threat right now.

Then again, Buha believes they need to be more proficient on offense, which has been an issue when Doncic and James are on the court. Still, they have the personnel to be a much better offensive team going forward:

"Since Dončić’s team debut on Feb. 10, the Lakers rank just 16th in offensive rating," Buha said. "Between Dončić, James, Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura, the Lakers have the foundation to be a top-10, if not top-five offense. If they can reach that ceiling and maintain their top-10 defense (they’re sixth since Dončić’s arrival), they have a legitimate chance to beat anyone in a seven-game series."

Doncic and James are both similar players. They both need to have the ball in their hands and are big players with elite court vision who don't necessarily thrive off the ball.

That makes their fit together a bit of a question mark, but great players usually figure out a way to coexist and bring the best out of one another.