LeBron James has entered training camp for his 23rd NBA season under load management, as the 40-year-old Los Angeles Lakers superstar continues to navigate the wear and tear of an unprecedented career.
Load Management and Health Focus
Lakers coach JJ Redick said Tuesday that James is dealing with a bit of nerve irritation in his glute, prompting a longer ramp-up toward opening night.
“It’s probably a little bit longer of a ramp-up leading into opening night for him in year 23, an uncharted territory here,” Redick told reporters following practice. “So I felt in talking with performance and talking with [athletic trainer] Mike [Mancias] and LeBron, like you probably did much last year at camp, which was great for me as a first-year head coach, to get buy-in from him, but it’ll be a slower process with him leading into the first game. He’s obviously got 22 years so far of wear and tear on the body. So, we’re playing the long game with LeBron.”
Redick emphasized that this measured approach is a collaborative effort between James, the coaching staff, and athletic trainers, designed to preserve his body over the course of a long season.
Reflecting on a Storied Career
James acknowledged during Monday’s media day that retirement is approaching, though he offered no specific timeline.
“I’m excited about an opportunity to be able to play a game that I love for another season,” James said. “And however the journey lays out this year, I’m just super invested because I don’t know when the end is, but I know it’s a lot sooner than later. So just being super appreciative of the fact that I could come up here and do another media day and talk to you guys and do all this stuff around here. So I’m just excited about the journey and whatever this year has in store for me.”
James is coming off surgery this offseason to recover from a significant MCL injury sustained in Game 5 of the first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Had the Lakers completed a series comeback and advanced deeper into the playoffs, the injury could have sidelined him for multiple weeks. James missed 12 games last season.
Still Among the Elite
Despite being the oldest active player in the NBA and the rigors of a 22-year career, James remains one of the league’s top players. He averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 7.8 rebounds last season, earning All-NBA second-team honors and finishing sixth in MVP voting. ESPN ranks him No. 8 entering the new season.
“It’s humbling and gratifying to still play at this level,” James said. “Not many guys my age, especially in Year 23, have been able to do that. I just try not to take it for granted and inspire whoever I can — the younger generation, my generation, the ones to come.”
Addressing Bryce James Speculation
James also denied rumors that he is timing the end of his career to play alongside his younger son, Bryce James, who will play his freshman season at Arizona and will be eligible for the 2026 NBA Draft.
“No, I’m not,” James said. “I don’t know what his timeline is. He’s his own young man now. He’s down in Tucson. We’ll see what happens this year, next year, but he has his own timeline. I got my timeline, and I don’t know if they quite match it. But we’ll see.”
Privately, some league insiders believe James may be setting the stage for a farewell stretch beyond this season. One NBA executive told Lakers Daily that the superstar is unlikely to retire after 2025, even if the Lakers fall short of a championship.
“I think LeBron plays one or two more seasons unless the Lakers win it all next year,” the executive said. “Bryce [James] will be eligible for the 2026 draft. There are some whispers that LeBron wants to play with him, too. We’ll see what happens, but I just can’t see LeBron retiring after next season. He’s still too good of a player to just walk away.”
James will be an unrestricted free agent next summer, the first time since 2018 he has faced that decision when he joined the Lakers. He made clear that any decision to retire will be a private, family matter.
“It’ll be a decision between me, my wife, and my daughter. There won’t even be a meeting with my teammates,” he said.
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