The Los Angeles Lakers have struggled recently, particularly superstar LeBron James, leading to concerns about his health. LeBron's struggles may be fatigue-related, with him not having missed any of the team's first 22 games and planning on playing all 82 games.
LeBron trying to play all 82 games in year 22 could be seen as admirable, particularly in today's load management era. That being said, he is nearing 40, and if any player needs to rest, it is him.
With LeBron having played the most minutes in NBA history and also the most games, having him sit a few in the regular season isn't nearly as big of a deal as other stars resting. After all, fewer games could lead to a more energized LeBron. That is opposed to LeBron having several games where he plays but otherwise struggles.
LeBron playing at 70% of his full capacity is still better than most players in the NBA, but him playing, say, 30 minutes in a game that he otherwise would have sat out has ripple effects. If he were to play a game on Monday and then sit out a game on Wednesday before playing again on Friday, then he'd have three full days of rest, which would allow him to recover. Being strategic in how they rest LeBron is key to getting the most out of their best player.
The Lakers must ignore LeBron's ridiculous demand to save their season.
However, if LeBron is resistant to sitting games, limiting the minutes that he plays in those games would be a reasonable middle ground. For instance, if he plays 35 minutes on the first night of a back-to-back, then he could play just 24 minutes on the second night to try and limit the wear and tear on his body. It would also allow him to play harder in those minutes, maximizing his time on the floor while also allowing the Lakers to both preserve him and still compete.
JJ Redick on LeBron playing all 82 games: "I don't know if it's in the best interest of him and us if he does that."
— Lakers Daily (@LakersDailyCom) December 3, 2024
Ultimately, whether LeBron misses time will come down to both him and Coach JJ Redick. Reddick appears uncomfortable with the idea of playing him all 82 games, which could lead to conflict, but with LeBron nearing 40, the more likely scenario is that he will miss time due to an injury.
Having him on a minutes restriction and a rest schedule would help to minimize the risk of injury, but LeBron seems dead set on wanting to play all 82 games this season, though it may hurt the Lakers in the long run.