Desmond Bane vs LeBron James
Bane · James
| Bane | James | |
|---|---|---|
| 82 | Games availability | 60 |
| 33.6 | Minutes per game | 33.2 |
| 20.1 | Points per game | 20.9 |
| 4.1 | Rebounds per game | 6.1 |
| 4.1 | Assists per game | 7.2 |
| 1.5 | Steals + blocks per game | 1.8 |
| 2.0 | Turnovers per game · lower is better | 3.0 |
| 48.4% | Field goal % | 51.5% |
| 39.1% | Three-point % 5.2 vs 4.1 attempts | 31.7% |
| 90.8% | Free throw % | 73.7% |
| 60.7% | True shooting TS% | 59.4% |
| 22.4% | Usage USG% | 26.2% |
| 19.0% | Assist % of teammates' baskets | 33.8% |
| 5.9% | Rebound % of available | 9.3% |
| +2.2 | Net rating on court | +2.6 |
| 11.1% | PIE player impact estimate | 15.4% |
| +1.6 | Plus-minus per game | +2.0 |
Where the gap is
from the numbers aboveLeBron James scored more in 2025-26, 0.8 points a game apart (20.9 vs 20.1), on James's heavier usage (26.2% vs 22.4%).
Bane is the more efficient scorer by true shooting, 60.7% to 59.4%; TS% folds threes and free throws into one number, so the gap survives shot-diet differences.
Playmaking goes to James (7.2 vs 4.1 assists), the glass to James (6.1 vs 4.1 rebounds).
Availability is part of the comparison: Bane played 22 more games (82 vs 60 of 82).
With James on the floor his team outscored opponents by +2.6 per 100 possessions, against +2.2 for Bane; on-court net rating carries the teammates with it, so read it next to PIE.
On the books for 2026-27: Bane $39.4M through 2028-29, James $3.9M through 2027-28. Whether either fits a trade is a Trade Machine question, not a stat one.
Splits
2025-26 · from the game logs| Bane | James | |
|---|---|---|
| 45-37 | Record when playing | 39-21 |
| 21.4 | Points at home | 20.7 |
| 18.8 | Points on the road | 21.2 |
| 22.3 | Points in wins | 21.3 |
| 17.4 | Points in losses | 20.2 |
| 37 | Season high | 36 |
| 12 | 30-point games | 6 |
| 1 | Double-doubles | 17 |
Last games & contracts
test a trade in the Trade Machine →More comparisons
pick any two players →Per-game numbers and percentages are 2025-26 regular season from stats.nba.com; splits and last games from our own game logs; contract figures are cap hits from public salary data and can lag a signing by a day. Bold marks the better number in each row (turnovers: fewer is better).