II. The art of the three-point shot
As the years have passed, James' perimeter shooting skills have become increasingly refined, and shooting from beyond the three-point line has become a major part of his scoring repertoire. To date, James has made 2,410 three-pointers, which ranks eighth in NBA history. Korver (2,450 kills) is just 41 shots off the pace and is on track to pass seventh place in the near future.
If James can make 151 three-pointers in the upcoming season, he will break Reggie Miller's record of 2,560 three-pointers and jump to fifth in NBA history. However, given that only Ray Allen retired from the all-time top five, James will likely end up locking down the fifth or sixth spot.
The crown of free throw shooting
James has made 8,390 free throws in his career, which is now third in NBA history. Moses Malone's 8,531 and Karl Malone's 9,787 are the top two respectively. James can surpass Moses Malone and become the second player in NBA history to make more than 8,000 free throws if he makes 142 free throws in the new season.
It's worth noting that James made 303 free throws last season and has reached a personal high in free throw attempts since the 2017-2018 season. He's averaged 269 free throws per game over the past three seasons, and if he can maintain that level, surpassing Moses Malone is within reach. But to catch up with Karl Malone's record of 9,787, he still has a gap of 1,398.
The Rebounding Bully
As a forward, James has been equally impressive in rebounding, especially on the defensive end. As of now, his career defensive rebound total has reached 9,458, 10th all-time in NBA history. James contributes an average of 415 defensive rebounds per game, and with 24 more, could pass Moses Malone's 9,481 and move up to eighth.
If James stays healthy in the new season and continues his stellar rebounding performance, he is expected to surpass Olajuwon (9,714) at the end of the season to become the NBA's seventh all-time defensive rebounding leader. As for breaking the 10,000 defensive rebound mark, it may take two seasons of hard work.
V. Masters of stealing
James has contributed 2,275 steals in his career, eighth in NBA history. While there is little hope of cracking the top five, he still has a chance to break through in the upcoming season. Currently, James is 33 steals shy of seventh-place Pippen (2,307) and 36 shy of sixth-place Maurice Chicks (2,310). At the pace of 70 steals per game over the past three seasons, James is expected to surpass both legends in the new season.
However, James will need to work a lot harder to crack the top five. Fifth-place Gary Payton has 2,445 steals, which means James needs 170 more. Considering his age and number of appearances, this milestone may take two seasons to reach.
