Jalen Johnson vs LeBron James
Johnson · James
| Johnson | James | |
|---|---|---|
| 72 | Games availability | 60 |
| 35.2 | Minutes per game | 33.2 |
| 22.5 | Points per game | 20.9 |
| 10.3 | Rebounds per game | 6.1 |
| 7.9 | Assists per game | 7.2 |
| 1.6 | Steals + blocks per game | 1.8 |
| 3.4 | Turnovers per game · lower is better | 3.0 |
| 48.9% | Field goal % | 51.5% |
| 35.2% | Three-point % 4.7 vs 4.1 attempts | 31.7% |
| 78.8% | Free throw % | 73.7% |
| 58.1% | True shooting TS% | 59.4% |
| 26.4% | Usage USG% | 26.2% |
| 32.5% | Assist % of teammates' baskets | 33.8% |
| 14.0% | Rebound % of available | 9.3% |
| +3.2 | Net rating on court | +2.6 |
| 16.1% | PIE player impact estimate | 15.4% |
| +2.6 | Plus-minus per game | +2.0 |
Where the gap is
from the numbers aboveJalen Johnson scored more in 2025-26, 1.6 points a game apart (22.5 vs 20.9), on Johnson's heavier usage (26.4% vs 26.2%).
James is the more efficient scorer by true shooting, 59.4% to 58.1%; TS% folds threes and free throws into one number, so the gap survives shot-diet differences.
Playmaking goes to Johnson (7.9 vs 7.2 assists), the glass to Johnson (10.3 vs 6.1 rebounds).
Availability is part of the comparison: Johnson played 12 more games (72 vs 60 of 82).
With Johnson on the floor his team outscored opponents by +3.2 per 100 possessions, against +2.6 for James; on-court net rating carries the teammates with it, so read it next to PIE.
On the books for 2026-27: Johnson $30.0M through 2029-30, 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| Johnson | James | |
|---|---|---|
| 42-30 | Record when playing | 39-21 |
| 22.1 | Points at home | 20.7 |
| 22.9 | Points on the road | 21.2 |
| 22.8 | Points in wins | 21.3 |
| 22.2 | Points in losses | 20.2 |
| 43 | Season high | 36 |
| 12 | 30-point games | 6 |
| 49 | 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).