NBA champion Lakers face ‘balancing act’ in fast-approaching season

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA – OCTOBER 11: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers defends Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat during the second quarter in Game Six of the 2020 NBA Finals at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on October 11, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images/AFP

The quick turnaround from the Los Angeles Lakers’ NBA triumph in October mean the team will face a “balancing act” in keeping veteran superstar LeBron James at his best, Lakers vice president Rob Pelinka said this week.

“That’ll just be a balancing act throughout the season, recognizing that there was an extremely short layoff between championship and the start of the season and kind of figuring out what’s best for LeBron, what’s best for his health, the team’s health, what’s best for the league and kind of walking that carefully and thoughtfully throughout the year,” Pelinka said in a videoconference with reporters on Thursday (November 19).

James and the Lakers polished off the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals in the league’s quarantine bubble in Orlando on October 11.

With the 72-game 2020-21 season scheduled to tip off on December 22, it’s less than a month to the start of training camps on December 1.

James, who will turn 36 on December 30, has never been a fan of “load management,” the technique used by teams to give uninjured players rest during the season to make sure they’re in peak shape when the playoffs roll around.

“If I’m healthy, I play,” James said last December. “I mean, that should be the approach.”

But without the usual four months to recover from the rigors of the previous season, even former president Barack Obama has suggested that James may have to spend less time on court.

Obama, appearing on an episode of HBO’s “The Shop” said James is “definitely going to have some minutes restrictions” in the new season — quipping that he should let younger teammate Anthony Davis absorb the load.

“That’s what I got him for,” James said.

© Agence France-Presse

Tom Kirkwood

Recent Posts

It’s three out of three for Robbie on the opening day of the RMB Ultra-trail Cape Town

"What Stu (McConnachie) and the trail community have done to put South African trail running…

2 days ago

World’s trail athletes gather in the Mother City for RMB Ultra-trail Cape Town

by Stephen Granger RMB Ultra Trail Cape Town (UTCT) celebrates its 10th anniversary this weekend,…

3 days ago

World trail athletes aiming for the Top of the Table in RMB Ultra-trail Cape Town

by Stephen Granger The eyes of the trail world will be focused on the southern…

4 days ago

Marathon magic in New York and Soweto

Competitive racing was the order of the day at the TCS New York City Marathon…

2 weeks ago

Mainz 05 Coaches Inspire Youth at Totalsport Safe-Hub in Johannesburg’s Alexandra

A coaching team from Bundesliga club 1.FSV Mainz 05 has visited the Totalsport Safe-Hub in…

3 weeks ago

Spotlight on African basketball talent and milestones as NBA’s 2024/25 season takes off

An NBA season packed with African talent and colourful courts is underway, with games available…

3 weeks ago