Dave McMenaminESPN Staff Writer3 min read
Stephen A.: LeBron calling AD the face of the Lakers is completely ridiculous
Stephen A. Smith explains why LeBron James calls Anthony Davis the face of the Lakers.
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — LeBron James won’t play in Saturday’s opener against the Golden State Warriors, but the Los Angeles Lakers star said he plans to play plenty of games during the preseason.
“Six preseason games, so hopefully I can play in at least half of them,” James said after practice Thursday. “But we’ll see. I think every game will determine that. I’m definitely not going to play Saturday in the Bay Area. But we’ll see after that.”
James, who turns 39 in December and is the NBA’s oldest active player, has missed 27 games this season with a right foot injury. James detailed the injury this week, saying he “pretty much tore the whole tendon,” but early reviews of his training camp performance have been very positive.
Lakers head coach Davin Hamm said there is “no question” that James is healthy and fully recovered from his injury. “He’s 100 percent healthy,” Ham said of James on Wednesday. “He looks good. He looks like LeBron in third or fourth grade.”
The reality is, though, that James is entering his 21st season, and while he still looks athletic, the team and his medical staff have to coordinate with James’ longtime athletic trainer, Mike Mancias, Take steps to protect him.
“We collaborate and communicate on the steps,” Hamm said. “We make sure we have a plan that works. The beauty of the way we’re moving forward is, one, he’s in great shape; two, he’s in (Anthony Anthony) Davis probably has more experience than the entire team combined in terms of games and minutes. He takes great care of himself.”
Los Angeles continues its preseason schedule, playing the Brooklyn Nets in Las Vegas on Monday, the Sacramento Kings in Anaheim on Wednesday, home games against the Warriors and Milwaukee Bucks, and finally facing Phoenix in Palm Springs The Suns will face the Denver Nuggets on October 19, five days before the regular season elimination round.
“Just relax,” Ham said of James’ plan. “The fact that our roster is what it is, he doesn’t have to wear a cape to start the season, so to speak. … The help around him will keep him from having to give it his all in every practice and every preseason game.”