LeBron James, Lonzo Ball, and Rajon Rondo are the first trio of teammates in NBA history who ranked in the top 10 in assists per game the season before.



The compatibility of high-volume scorers has been tested over the years with a wide spectrum of results, but the 2018-19 Lakers face a more unusual question in the same vein. Can three playmakers who operated as the fulcrum of three separate offenses collaborate on the same team without yielding diminishing returns?



I sought the answer to this question by watching over 1,000 of their combined assists to gain a better understanding of how they can flourish without getting in each other’s way. But before we can do that, we need to establish an understanding of who they are as individual playmakers.



LeBron James



LeBron James’ experience as the focal point of NBA defenses forged his identity as a playmaker. The specter of his scoring ability creates a more comfortable playmaking environment...