US media analyzes the impact of LeBron James' absence: Does this boost Doncic's MVP chances? Will Bronny get more playing time?

LeBron James will be out for at least 3-4 weeks due to injury; what impact does this have on the Lakers? On October 12th Beijing time, prominent US outlet CBS offered an analysis, indicating that Doncic's odds for MVP have improved, and Bronny is expected to see more minutes on the court.

1. Will this result in more chances for Bronny?

Because LeBron is injured, the Lakers will have 30 to 35 fewer minutes of playing time per game at the start of the season. The guard they signed during the offseason, Smart, is currently dealing with Achilles tendinitis, so it’s uncertain how much he can play when the season begins. To make room for him, the Lakers had to waive last season’s rotation guard Goodwin.

Although, from a health perspective, they cannot fully rely on Kleber either, as he is also managing a quadriceps issue. In other words, there seems to be some available minutes early in the season. Ironically, one LeBron’s injury might open up playing time for another James. Bronny plays a different position than his father, but the Lakers have positional flexibility.

If LeBron, Smart, and Kleber are all unavailable, it’s almost certain that eight players will see court time: Doncic, Reeves, Hachimura, Vanderbilt, Vincent, Ayton, LaRavia, and Hayes.

Most teams use nine to ten players regularly during the season. Knecht could be a primary beneficiary; if the Lakers use him, it could at least boost his trade value. However, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Lakers give Bronny some early season minutes to test how he performs. His rookie season was rather quiet, but he showed some positive signs in the Summer League. When the Lakers are fully healthy, their lineup isn’t built around Bronny for significant playing time, but this could be an opportunity to evaluate his growth early and decide if he deserves more chances later. Of course, none of this is guaranteed without knowing how he performed in training camp and Smart’s availability.

2. Who will replace LeBron in the starting lineup?

At the start of training camp, it was fairly certain the Lakers would start four players: LeBron, Doncic, Reeves, and Ayton. The battle for the final starting spot seems to be between Smart and Hachimura, with Vanderbilt also having a chance. Although Smart is the better defender, at this stage of his career, he is better suited to guarding bigger players. The Lakers’ lineup doesn’t require that as much, while Vanderbilt is more adept at guarding guards. His offensive skills are weaker, but the Lakers might be willing to sacrifice some scoring.

If Smart is healthy on opening day and can start, the natural solution might be to start both him and Hachimura. Then, when LeBron returns, the Lakers can use the information from those initial games to make informed, long-term decisions. However, if they worry about Smart’s ability to defend quicker guards, giving Vanderbilt more chances now might make sense. Without LeBron, Hachimura’s shooting could be crucial for offense, so this might come down to defensive style preferences. Additionally, if the Lakers prefer Smart coming off the bench, maintaining role continuity for a veteran player could be beneficial.

3. Focus on Doncic’s MVP odds

Doncic is in the best physical shape of his career. He is ready to prove that the Mavericks were wrong to trade him. These were facts before LeBron’s injury, but now what changes is the potential rise in his immediate stats.

The Lakers, like any NBA team, have many ball handlers. Even if Doncic plays the best season of his career, it might not fully show in the stats because compared to Dallas, he may have less ball control playing alongside LeBron and Reeves. If you’re looking for reasons to doubt his MVP candidacy, this is one.

Yes, LeBron is expected to return relatively early in the season, but narratives form quickly. If Doncic starts by putting up 30-point triple-doubles leading a depleted Lakers team, it will attract significant attention. Even if he can’t maintain that scoring efficiency after LeBron’s return, public opinion matters in the MVP race. With the whole league watching, he has a chance to get an early lead.

The latest MVP odds show Doncic at +325, currently third but very close to second-ranked Jokic at +300, while Alexander leads the board at +160.