Lakers star LeBron James is currently out of play for the Los Angeles Lakers and head coach JJ Redick says the absence is fully excused. In a chat with reporters this week, the Lakers coach first confirmed that LeBron was unlikely to play due to “personal reasons.”
“LeBron is not with the team right now,” said JJ Redick via Shams Charania. “He’s out for personal reasons, excused absence.”
James was out of the rotation in the Lakers’ 107-98 victory against the Trail Blazers and Anthony Davis led the way for them with 30 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 blocks on 47.6% shooting. LeBron was officially ruled out with a sore foot but now it seems he’s taking a break from the team entirely in order to get himself back on track.
This season, the 22nd for James, he’s been off his game with averages of 23.0 points, 9.1 assists, and 8.0 rebounds per game on 49.5% shooting. After a hot start, he hit a major scoring slump and it’s got him down to 35.9% shooting from deep.
While his stats are still better than most, LeBron hasn’t played up to his usual standards this season and it’s holding the Lakers back. In the Lakers’ 29-point loss to the Timberwolves last week, James had one of his worst games of the season with just 10 points and 4 assists on 25.0% shooting.
At times, LeBron looks exhausted on the court trying to keep up with the league’s top teams. At 39 years old, it’s no secret that the end is near for LeBron James’ career but he had dreams of making one last title run before it was all said and done.
As it stands now, the Lakers appear to be in a steep decline at the moment and it might be causing LeBron to re-think some of his plans.
LeBron is not the player he used to be and since the Lakers are still not good enough to edge out the competition. That puts them in a precarious position in the West. For the sake of respect and nostalgia, they could keep their star duo together but it might be best for everyone if all sides involved just go their separate ways.
As a 4x champion, 4x MVP, and 20x All-Star, LeBron’s legacy as one of the best is already set and he has nothing left to prove in the NBA. After sharing the court with his son Bronny and setting him up for a future in the league, LeBron has nothing left to play for unless it’s to win a championship and enhance his legacy even further.
For now, James’ status for tomorrow’s game is still described as “unlikely” but anything can change if he returns before the game ready and healthy to play. But amid a difficult season for LeBron and the Lakers, it’s possible that he needs this time to re-consider his approach and get his game right before the season is out of reach.
The game tomorrow is set for 8:00 PM EST at Target Center against the Minnesota Timberwolves. With or without LeBron, it will be a tough matchup for the Lakers. They don’t head back home until December 15th for a game against the Memphis Grizzlies at Crypto.com arena at 9:30 PM EST.
Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We appreciate your support.
