Skip to main content

LeBron James may finally be changing longtime stance


LeBron James has not been a big believer in load management over the past few years. The Los Angeles Lakers superstar may finally be ready to admit his age, and give the considerate approach towards his body a shot.

Dave McMenamin reported that James was dealing with 'a little bit of nerve irritation in the glute' to open training camp. As a result, the all-time great was held out of practice on Tuesday. JJ Redick told McMenamin the goal was to have LeBron available on opening night aga inst the Golden State Warriors.

Jovan Buha thought this was the right approach for the situation. That was the message shared by the Lakers reporter on a recent episode of Buha's Block. After years of pushing back against the idea of less games or fewer minutes, James may finally be ready to accept his fate.

The NBA's all-time leading scorer is about to start the 23rd season of his legendary career. That, quite literally, is unprecedented territory. New circumstances demand new strategies. For the Lakers, ensuring the best version of James being ready for the 2026 NBA Playoffs should be the goal.

One would imagine that with a relatively clean bill of health, James would still want to hit 65 games, and be eligible for the end of season awards that come with that threshold. That would set him up to add to his NBA record of All-NBA Team appearances.

As much as that would boost his resume, a championship would do so much more. James getting to the postseason at 90 percent versus 75, or whatever arbitrary number one wishes to attach here, would mean a much more realistic path to a title for the Lakers.

LeBron is still every bit of an NBA superstar. That stardom will be needed most in the postseason.

Playoff LeBron used to be discussed as the stuff of legend. James always had an extra gear that could be activated when it mattered most. It left his competitors in awe and reverence.

Expecting that version of James in every playoff outing after the man turns 41 years old might be foolish. However, with the right maintenance on his workload through the 2025-26 regular season, the extra care and effort would be put into place for him to have more of those moments than may otherwise be possible at this age.

His Lakers teammates know that James missing a few preseason contests will not mean much. Neither will an extra night off or two in the regular season. The ultimate goal can only be accomplished in June.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Breaking Down the Differences Between LeBron James and Kevin Durant - Bleacher Report

LeBron James and Kevin Durant are being coined as "the future of the NBA 's next generation." That is certainly true, but they aren't exactly on the same level. LeBron and Durant are two different players, who bring varying skills to different facets of the game. Instead of just comparing them in a "who's the best" fashion, let's take a minute and break down which player excels in each and every facet of the game of basketball. Ahead is a breakdown of the differences that exist between LeBron and Durant.  Scoring Ronald Martinez/Getty Images LeBron 2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 27.1 points, 53.1 FG%, 36.3 3P%, 77.1 FT% Durant 2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 28.0 points, 49.6 FG%, 38.7 3P%, 86.0 FT% Scoring is what Kevin Durant does. It's not only his specialty, it's also what makes him such a dangerous and elite player. With that being said, LeBron isn't exactly a slouch on the offensive side of the...
Post a Comment
Read more

NBA Monday Morning Shootaround: LeBron James, The Hunger Games, and More - Bleacher Report

Welcome to the "Monday Morning Shootaround," Bleacher Report's recap of the weekend that was in the NBA. Along with getting you caught up on the weekend’s playoff action, we’ll give you a sneak preview of what could potentially be the greatest basketball book of all time, show you the best 70-year-old playground superstar ever, and tell you about a young star that just might choose religion over the fame and fortune of the NBA. The Opening Tip * ABC cameras caught LeBron James reading The Hunger Games before the Miami Heat played the Indiana Pacers on Sunday. Shortly thereafter, the Miami Heat small forward proceeded to go into full Katniss Everdeen mode to the tune of 40 points, 18 rebounds and nine assists as the Heat pulled out a hard-fought 101-93 victory. After a slow start, Heat guard Dwyane Wade finished with 30 points, nine rebounds and six assists of his own. But Sunday afternoon was all about James and his gaudy numbers, virtually all of which we...
Post a Comment
Read more

LeBron James' 12 Hall of Fame teammates

LeBron James is one of the best to ever play in the NBA. He has set multiple records and accomplished a handful of milestones, capped off by the NBA All-Time scoring record , four NBA championships, four Finals MVPs, four NBA MVPs, one NBA Cup title, and one NBA Cup MVP. Throughout his career, he's played with five players that are in the Basketball Hall of Fame and seven others that will likely join James in the Hall. Here is a look at LeBron James' 12 Hall of Fame teammates. Check out the gallery. Dwyane Wade Russ Isabella-Imagn Images Hall of Fame status: Inducted in 2023 Dwyane Wade has arguably got to be James' best teammate throughout his career. With Wade in his corner, they both led the Miami Heat to back-to-back NBA championships in four consecutive Finals appearances. Having these two on the same team was a nightmare to stop, especially in transition. They went together like peanut butter and jelly. Chris Bosh Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Hall of ...
Post a Comment
Read more