James asked, "In the way I'm good at?"
"Exactly," Kobe said. "Don't worry about Phil, just play the game the way you like it."
So, passive resistance, aside from generating some negative press, had no real consequences that could hurt James personally.
This was the first time James needed to do something against the collective interest for his own benefit.
But the collective interest is also a piece of cake.
It's like a seven-game series being seven pieces of cake, and in the first game, he chose to let the SuperSonics have it.
It was to ensure he could enjoy the rest more heartily.
As long as he made sure he was the one who ate the most, who cared about the process? History only remembers the results.
This was the first time James had done it, and he felt a bit of trivial guilt, but that feeling was quickly washed away by the excitement of regaining control.
In his heart, he had another faint feeling.
This wouldn't be the last time he did this.