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LeBron James is entering his 23rd season in the NBA and has continue to perform at a level that’s unprecedented for a player his age.
The biggest challenge for James at this stage of his career is managing his body through the rigors of the NBA season, and as the 40-year-old gets set for another year in Los Angeles he’s already battling a nagging issue with his glute that kept him out of the Lakers’ first practice of training camp.
James is sidelined with what coach JJ Redick called “nerve irritation in the glute,” and the plan this year is to be much more cautious leading into the season. Redick wouldn’t guarantee James would be on the floor for the season opener, but told reporters Tuesday that’s the goal, while noting they’d like to get him some preseason action but the most important thing is being at full strength for the regular season.
James ended last season with a sprained MCL in the playoffs and has dealt with a variety of foot, ankle and calf issues over the past few seasons. That’s life as a professional athlete this deep into a career, but the Lakers will try and come up with a plan that gives James the best chance to navigate through the season to be ready for the playoffs as healthy as he can be.
Redick said that means having “longer of a ramp up” for James this season, noting that James probably “did too much” last year in training camp with Redick stepping in as the new coach. This year they will “play the long game” with the 40-year-old star, and try to make sure he can be on the floor as much as possible later in the season by keeping him fresh and not putting additional wear on him in camp.
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