The Los Angeles Lakers can't afford to run the risk of overextending LeBron James in his 21st NBA season.

What makes this tricky, though, is they so far haven't been able to afford sit him for long stretches, either. The 38-year-old remains front and center of this squad's success, boasting an enormous net differential of plus-23.8 points per 100 possessions, per NBA.com.

That number is a true testament to his timeless greatness, but it's also a failure of this franchise. The Lakers can't be this reliant on James. Not with the kind of mileage he's already logged in his once-in-a-lifetime career.

They know it, too. They talked up a plan to limit his exposure on opening night, and while they've largely been unable to stick to it—he's topped 32 minutes in 10 of his 13 outings—they haven't abandoned hope of eventually putting into practice. As ESPN's Dave McMenamin reported, "all parties involved aspire to limit James' minutes when the team can get fully healthy."

That may sound like wishful thinking to some, but to the Lakers, it's a non-negotiable part of their championship plan.

Having James Healthy in the Postseason Is Far More Important Than Regular-Season Wins

While there are benefits to snagging a top playoff seed, they ultimately guarantee nothing. You only have to travel back to April for evidence of that, when the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks were ousted by the eighth-seeded Miami Heat in the opening round.

And while there are challenges of being a lower seed, they can be overcome. Last postseason taught us that, too, courtesy of these very Lakers, who snagged the seventh seed in the play-in tournament and still embarked on a playoff run that didn't end until the Western Conference finals.

Taking some early-season lumps isn't fun, but it isn't the end of the world. You know what would be, though? Losing James to a significant injury at the worst possible time.

As Lakers' fans surely remember, last season sent that message, too. James gave this group everything he had, but his body eventually gave out by way of a torn tendon in his right foot. He suffered the injury in late February, missed a full month and couldn't find his consistent level of dominance in the postseason.

This Roster Can Be Better

The Lakers haven't been bad to start this season (8-6), but they haven't played up to expectations, either.

Injuries have played a part in that. Only four players have appeared in each of the team's first 14 games. Rui Hachimura has been sidelined for four of them. Gabe Vincent's absences are at 10 and counting. Jarred Vanderbilt has yet to make his season debut.

On the court, a number of Lakers have fallen short of expectations, too. They were banking on a leap year from Austin Reaves, but it hasn't materialized yet. Anthony Davis still doesn't always show the assertiveness this group needs from him on the offensive end. Vincent couldn't hit anything when he played. Christian Wood and Taurean Prince have been ice cold. Max Christie has failed to capitalize on the few opportunities he's been given.

Any—or, fingers crossed, all—of these players could be better, and if they start playing like it, then it shouldn't be an issue of finding a handful of more rest minutes each night for James. And if the supporting cast can't pick up the slack, then this front office has enough resources to hit the trade market and find players who can.

Solve This Puzzle, and L.A. Is Still Firmly in the Championship Chase

While the Lakers don't want to lean so heavily on James, they can find some encouragement from one part of this problem.

He's still one of the premier players on the planet. So, by virtue of rostering him—and Davis—this club clearly has retained its championship pulse.

That's what gives this situation such considerable weight. If the Lakers can just make it to the finish line with James operating anywhere near full speed, they still have a chance to do something spectacular.

But this is still a problem that needs fixing, and the solution must be found sooner than later. The more rest James can get now, the fresher he'll be come playoff time and the greater the chances become of turning these title dreams into a reality.