Many contend that LeBron James solidified his position as the GOAT of basketball once he smashed the NBA’s all-time scoring record.
On top of the scoring record, James also has four championship rings on three different teams. While LeBron has been individually great, he’s also had some of the greatest teammates to help him succeed. In fact, names such as Dwyane Wade and Kyrie Irving come to mind. However, not every All-Star plays well alongside James. In fact, some of them even registered their worst seasons while playing alongside the greatest basketball player in the world. For this piece, let’s take a look at eight All-Stars that struggled to play with LeBron James.
Isaiah Thomas
Isaiah Thomas is a two-time All-Star who once starred for the Boston Celtics. Although Thomas was a lethal scorer, his presence never really made an impact while being teammates with James. Thomas was teammates with The King for the 2017-2018 season with the Cavs and the 2021-2022 season with the Lakers. However, it wasn’t really James’ fault, given that Thomas was hardly the same man who ruled Boston before his nagging hip injury. On both times they were teammates, Thomas was quite inefficient, only shooting over 30% from the field on both occasions.
Derrick Rose
Speaking of injuries, no one can forget how Derrick Rose’s rise was halted by knee injuries that derailed his career. After recovering from injury, Derrick Rose joined James and the Cavaliers for the 2016-2017 season. Unfortunately, injuries also hounded Rose during his time with James. The former MVP tallied one of his worst seasons, averaging only 9.8 points per game. Rose was eventually traded midway through the season after he suited up for the Cavs in 16 games.
Shawn Marion
Shawn Marion isn’t a superstar. However, he was a reliable player that often played well alongside superstars. In fact, he thrived in a loaded Suns team and helped the Mavericks win an NBA championship. The four time All-Star signed with the Cavaliers for the 2014-2015 season, at a time when LeBron James made his return to Cleveland. But while Marion often played well in the past, his stint with the Cavs was a complete outlier. For the first time in his career, Marion averaged under double figures in scoring, putting up only 4.8 points per outing. Furthermore, Marion also barely played in the 2015 Playoffs and wasn’t even a factor. Moreover, the team didn’t even field him during the Finals which saw the Warriors beat the Cavs.
Deron Williams
Another All-Star who teamed up with LeBron James was Deron Williams. After agreeing to a buyout with the Mavs, Williams joined James and the Cavs for the rest of the 2016-2017 season. Williams’ signing was welcomed as he was a five time All-Star who was capable of taking on the scoring load, averaging 20 points for several seasons. However, due to age, Williams wasn’t the same anymore. For the first time in his career, like Marion, Williams tallied the worst numbers of his career. He put up only 7.5 points per outing in a Cavs uniform and barely contributed much when the Cavs were in the Finals.
Ben Wallace
In terms of aging stars, Ben Wallace was once a star for the Detroit Pistons that helped them win a championship in 2004. But after a disappointing run with the Bulls, Wallace was traded to Cleveland in the 2007-2008 season to team up with James. Unfortunately, Father Time had already caught up with Wallace which negatively affected the athleticism that compensated for his lack of size. Unfortunately, a serious leg injury added to his woes in Cleveland.
Andre Drummond
After securing a buy-out with the Cavaliers, Andre Drummond made his way to the Lakers to form an All-Star trio of Drummond, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis. At first, the entrance of Drummond fueled the Lakers’ title defense because of his dominance during his Pistons and Cavs days, that was until he started playing for the team. While Drummond was still a double-double rebounding machine, his presence only clogged the team’s spacing due to his lack of perimeter play. This negatively affected James and AD’s ability to operate inside. Add in the lack of chemistry within the team and the Lakers ultimately failed in their title defense.
Marc Gasol
Before Andre Drummond, the Lakers actually rode with Marc Gasol as the starting center. Gasol provided much better spacing, playmaking, and outside shooting. Unfortunately, he was no longer the same Defensive Player of the Year that he once was during his Grizzlies days. With James and the Lakers, Gasol averaged career-lows of 5.0 points and 2.1 rebounds per outing.
Russell Westbrook
Just recently, a trade that sent Russell Wesbrook to the Utah Jazz ultimately ended the trio of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Wesbrook himself. Although Westbrook was still a triple-double machine, even off the bench, the team-up was an ultimate failure as his production hardly translated to wins. Despite the star power that Westbrook brings, his playstyle never complimented James. In fact, the Lakers were only 55-72 overall with Westbrook.
Source: https://clutchpoints.com
