LAS VEGAS — LeBron James was starring in Las Vegas at this time last year, the headline attraction while he and the Los Angeles Lakers were about to win the inaugural version of the event now known as the NBA Cup.
It seems very different now.
“Personal reasons … he’s taking some time” is what Lakers coach JJ Redick said this week when detailing why James was missing from practice. “Left foot soreness” is the reason why the Lakers have ruled him out of Friday’s game in Minnesota. There’s been trade speculation in recent days, and it’s reasonable to think that a team like Golden State would clamor for James if he was available. And he’s turning 40 in about two weeks.
Whenever James is out, it’s a story. Taking time off for personal reasons, it’s a story. It could mean he’s hurt. It could mean he’s fed up with how the Lakers have struggled in recent weeks. It could mean he just needs a break. It could mean anything. All that is certain is he’s not playing Friday.
“All of this is very fluid,” Redick said when asked about James’ absence. “All of it is. All of it is. That’s what’s crystallized.”
James’ no-trade clause is the ultimate card in the deck right now. If James wants to be traded, he’ll probably get traded. If he doesn’t, then he’ll remain a Laker and continue on a roster that also features his son Bronny. The Lakers play only two games in the next week. It’s a nice time for a break if his left foot is a problem and the wear-and-tear of 22 seasons is requiring him to take some time off.
In short, nobody knows anything. Except LeBron, of course.
He’s the oldest player in the league, has set just about every record that he’s going to set, has more money than he could ever spend. There isn’t anything left to prove. He is under contract for next season, but the finish line — whether it’s after this season or not — is fast approaching.
“I’m not going to play that much longer, to be completely honest. I don’t know how many years that is, if it’s one year, two years, whatever the case may be,” James said last month. “I’m not playing ‘til the wheels fall off. I’m not going to be that guy. I’m not going to be the guy who’s disrespecting the game because I just want to be out on the floor. That won’t be me.”
The numbers show the wheels haven’t fallen off. His scoring is down (23 points per game, his lowest average since his rookie season) but his rebound and assist numbers are up from last season. The only other player this season averaging 23 points, eight rebounds and nine assists per game is Denver’s Nikola Jokic, who probably is the MVP frontrunner yet again. The wheels are fine.
It should be noted that this time of year is the start of the NBA’s silly season. There are 85 players eligible to be traded starting Sunday. Trades are the behind-the-curtain talk of the league right now with some big names out there, including tons of speculation about Jimmy Butler’s future in Miami.
“Narratives,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Thursday. “That’s going to happen, you know, in every organization at some point during the season.”
This might be that point for the Lakers. Entering Friday, they’ve lost seven of their last 10 games, four of those losses by at least 25 points. James has seemed frustrated, though after big losses it’s only natural that he would feel that way.
His presence is still felt in Las Vegas this week as the league convenes for the finish of the NBA Cup. There’s a giant advertisement featuring James near the baggage claim carousels at the airport, promoting his tie to a liquor company. On the court, though, he won’t be seen. And it’s not clear when he’ll be seen again.
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