At nearly 37-years-old, LeBron James isn’t as durable as he used to be. Over 18 seasons, his body has endured a lot and we’re already seeing how much it is slowing him down.
While Bron remains an elite player today, his availability and workload have to be managed more than ever before.
Still, the level of concern is near zero for LeBron, who seems more than willing to play 40 minutes a night. When asked about James’ minute this season, Lakers assistant coach David Fizdale gave a candid response.
“Is there a concern about LeBron’s minutes? Or you just don’t have a choice?”
Fizdale: “LeBron don’t give us a choice! What you talking ’bout? LeBron is like ‘put me out there.’ This guy is a freak, man. It’s so cool being with him again…… He just wants to be out there competing. And so if he sees a situation where we’re down or where he would normally come out but it’s right there and he’s like ‘I feel OK’ – like in Chicago, I said ‘just let me know,’ but he felt good, and he just kept saying ‘I want to stay in here. I want to stay in here.’ So, no, I don’t have a concern is the short answer. But again, I’m not here that long (laughs). That’s easy for me to say as an assistant. Obviously the higher-ups and our medical team will obviously have to make those decisions. But the way he prepares himself and the liveliness that he brings to the game, no, I don’t (have a concern).”
This season, James is averaging 37.2 minutes per game, his highest mark since 2017.
He has also missed a large chunk of games this season, partly due to a COVID-19 situation and partly due to ankle issues and an abdominal strain.
Needless to say, this is a sensitive time for the King — but it hasn’t stopped him from being the same dominant player we all know and love.
