After an offseason, LeBron James declared himself healthy as the Los Angeles Lakers head into the 2023-24 NBA season.
In a team brimming with optimism, the 38-year-old provided his current mentality in the latest good news for the title contenders. They open Tuesday against the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets.
Back in May, James hinted at a possible retirement after being disappointingly swept by the Nuggets in the 2023 Western Conference Finals. It’s also thought the superstar may need surgery to repair a foot injury that sidelined him late in the regular season.
However, he put aside talk of giving up and announced that he would indeed return to the NBA for a 21st season. James said earlier this month that his foot is back to where it was before the injury.
He appeared in just 55 regular-season games last season, and the Lakers reportedly plan to manage his minutes and workload this season more than they have in years past. James played only three of the six preseason games, averaging just over 18 minutes per game.
Fortunately, as a player who has reached certain age, playing time and plate appearance benchmarks, he will not be subject to the league’s new rules regarding resting players this season.
The NBA icon has played at least 67 games in just one season since 2018-19 and is coming off his longest postseason run since winning the 2020 title. Despite some critics and the wear and tear of a long career, James is still considered one of the best players in the NBA.
However, he has taken steps to pass the torch to fellow star Anthony Davis, announcing that Davis will be the face of the Lakers going forward.
The Lakers released an update on injured support players Gabe Vincent and Jared Vanderbilt on Saturday. James has a deep and talented roster that includes emerging star Austin Reeves, and being in good spirits means he’ll be at his best in the season opener.