LeBron James' absence vs. Suns gets savage JJ Redick explanation
Today at 11:48 PM
Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James will be the oldest player in the NBA once again this season. His new head coach, JJ Redick, made some light-hearted jokes about LeBron’s age during Thursday’s matchup against the Phoenix Suns.
JJ Redick announced that LeBron James would sit out Thursday’s game for rest and quipped about his star player's age. “DNP – Old. … Taking it out of Pop’s book,” Redick remarked according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
JJ on LeBron sitting out tonight's preseason game vs. the Suns
(via @mcten) pic.twitter.com/RJJmR6ClbT
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) October 18, 2024
At this stage in his career, any player should be able to cite age as a valid reason for sitting out games.
The Los Angeles Lakers deactivating LeBron James and other starters for the preseason
During the broadcast of Tuesday’s TNT game, Jared Greenberg reported that the Lakers had decided to rest LeBron for the entirety of the preseason.
James has logged limited minutes in three preseason games, so it’s not surprising that he will sit out Thursday’s matchup as he aims to rest his body ahead of the long season ahead.
The Lakers faced a challenging preseason schedule, wrapping up with back-to-back games and a total of three games in four nights, including a matchup against the Warriors in Las Vegas on Tuesday. To make matters worse, all their games are away from home, as Crypto.com Arena is currently undergoing renovations.
It was almost expected that LeBron and other starters would skip both games in this final stretch of the preseason. The only surprise is that the starters likely won't have another opportunity to play together unless the non-LeBron and Rui Hachimura starters participate in both ends of the back-to-back, which seems unlikely.
Rui Hachimura is also listed on the injury report due to calf tightness, but the issue isn’t considered serious and appears to be more of a precautionary measure.
Reaves missed some time earlier in the preseason but returned without any issues, so this can be attributed to the Lakers’ cautious approach. Concerns will only arise if these issues persist into the regular season.
James continuing to challenge the concepts of aging
Despite turning 40 in December, James continues to challenge Father Time. In his 21st season last year, he played 72 games, his highest total since the 2017-18 season when he completed all 82 games.
James is also also returning from a demanding summer with Team USA, where he guided the Americans to a gold medal at the Paris Olympics, following a season in which he played 71 regular-season games and five postseason contests in 2023-24.
He averaged 25.7 points, 8.3 assists, and 7.3 rebounds per game, guiding the Lakers to a 47-35 record and a playoff spot, where they were eliminated by the Denver Nuggets in the first round.
While it’s uncertain how much longer James will play before retiring, he appears poised for another productive season as he looks to further enhance his impressive career resume.
Securing another title would significantly boost LeBron James’ case in the GOAT debate, but the challenge remains steep. The Western Conference is loaded with talent, including the reigning champions, the Dallas Mavericks, a surging Minnesota Timberwolves squad, and the up-and-coming Oklahoma City Thunder, all poised to make their mark this season.
The post LeBron James’ absence vs. Suns gets savage JJ Redick explanation appeared first on ClutchPoints.
