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Why LeBron James will no longer miss time due to COVID

By Jack Simone

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - NOVEMBER 24: LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakersl against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on November 24, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - NOVEMBER 24: LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakersl against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on November 24, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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LeBron James, COVID, Los Angeles Lakers
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – NOVEMBER 24: LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on November 24, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement; LeBron James, COVID, Los Angeles Lakers. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James was recently declared out due to COVID-19. However, new information has come to light in the past day, and the star will no longer miss time.

Normally, when a player enters COVID protocols, they end up missing 10-14 days, which is usually around 4-7 games. This was initially reported just a few days ago.

Why LeBron James will no longer miss time after initially testing positive for COVID

LeBron James seems to have beaten the system.

Well, not really. What actually happened is that James has now tested negative multiple times within a 24-hour span, clearing him to return to the court as soon as possible.

When it was announced that LeBron James would miss time, the superstar put out a very ambiguous tweet that most assumed was in relation to him initially testing positive.

In addition, his teammate Anthony Davis told the media that he believe James was asymptomatic. Maybe James was right. Maybe something was fishy from the start.

In all seriousness, the most likely scenario was that the first test James did was either inconclusive or a false negative. This led to him subsequently testing negative twice in a row, thus clearing protocols.

Both Adrian Wojnarowski and Shams Charania broke the news that James would no longer have to miss time. This was then corroborated by the NBA Communications team:

"“James was originally placed in the Protocols on Tuesday, November 30, after a series of tests delivered conflicting results,” but “additional testing confirmed he is not positive.”"

Let’s just say that fans of the teams the Lakers were set to face next were not too pleased.

However, the news of his potential absence did also have league-wide effects. When news broke that he would not be playing in the upcoming Lakers-Clippers bout, the NBA took the game off of national television.

It was originally set to air, but will now only be available on local networks. The league replaced it with the Warriors-Suns bout, which will now take that slot on ESPN.

LeBron James is back, even though he never actually left. The COVID scare ended up being nothing more than an incorrect test, so expect to see him back on the court next game.

dark. Next. Lakers should be worried about AD shooting numbers

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