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Dave McMenamin, ESPN workforce essayist
PHOENIX – LeBron James’ preseason is over, giving the 39-year-old Los Angeles Lakers superstar one year left between games heading into Tuesday’s regular-season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
James was out of the Lakers’ game on Thursday against the Phoenix Suns, and a regular with James’ plans told ESPN that the forward will not play in Los Angeles’ final preseason game on Friday against the Yellow State. Warriors.
TNT’s Jared Greenberg first reported on James’ plans on the Lakers-Suns broadcast.
James is embarking on his 22nd season, tying Vince Carter for the most in league history.
“DNP-old,” Lakers educator JJ Redick joked about James’ explanation for the rest during his pregame comments Thursday. “Taking it out of [Gregg Popovich’s] book.”
Redick once referred to San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan, then 36, as “old man” when his team was playing three games in four nights in second place. -Last season in 2013-14.
James completed the preseason with averages of 12 points on 46.9% shooting (57.1% from 3), 4.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 3.0 performances in 18.5 minutes in three games. Los Angeles went 1-2. At first, Redick hoped to hold Thursday as a longer dress practice session and leave room for players to stay Friday in San Francisco for the second night of a back-to-back, but plans changed with James and Rui. Hachimura (calf tightness) both out against the Suns.
“I think you have to consider all the factors and it’s not often that you live in an idealized world in this league, and that’s okay,” Redick said. “You don’t get to live things exactly the way you want in this league very often, and that’s okay. We had a dress rehearsal – game day shootout, video session, all that – today. And we’ll do the same thing in our pregame. It’s the first time we’ve done that all preseason.
“So we’ve still been able to do some things we wanted to do.”
