Los Angeles Lakers are looking to fight for a playoff spot. Their latest 107-98 win over the Portland Trail Blazers has their fans excited about getting back on track and regaining positions in the Western Conference as they are in 8th place. The absence of perhaps the best player in NBA history, LeBron James, could disrupt their playoff hopes as the 39-year-old veteran is averaging 23 points, 9.1 assists and 8 rebounds this season. Despite his importance, the team has confirmed that LeBron will miss today’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves due to “personal reasons.”
Lakers’ head coach, JJ Redick explained the reasons behind LeBron James absence “In game, he’s asked for a sub a couple times because he’s gassed,” Redick expressed. “For us, we have to be cognizant as we play more and more games, just the cumulative effect of playing a lot of minutes, and Sunday, being banged up with the foot thing, it felt like a good opportunity for him to get some rest.”
The NBA veteran, LeBron James, has exceptional genetics, and his performance continues to be sustained over time. However, this is also due to his careful management of workload, especially as he approaches his 40th birthday on December 30th. While James certainly deserves rest, Redick believes that “if somebody wants to go spend a couple of nights in Santa Barbara and relax, that’s fine, too,” implying that other players should also be given the opportunity to rest.
With LeBron absent in the Lakers’ last game, Anthony Davis and D’Angelo Russell stepped up, each scoring 30 and 28 points, respectively, to lead the team’s offense. However, their combined total still fell short of the 39 points LeBron scored in the game against the Hawks.
LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on against the Miami Heat during the second half at Kaseya Center
Could LeBron James be traded? Speculation grows about his future with the Lakers
According to ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins, onlya request from LeBron James himself would prompt the Los Angeles Lakersto consider a trade. James holds a no-trade clause in his contract, giving him full control over his career decisions. However, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reports that the Golden State Warriors have already inquired about the possibility of trading for LeBron in hopes of pairing him with Stephen Curry.
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No doubt, this move would be intriguing for LeBron’s career, as he could combine his scoring ability with Curry’s shooting and Draymond Green‘s playmaking. However, the Warriors would need to convince not only LeBron but also the Los Angeles Lakers to agree to a trade that benefits both sides.
