LeBron James is taking time away from the Los Angeles Lakers amid on-court struggles and swirling trade rumors this season.
The NBA legend missed his first game of the season when the Lakers faced the Portland Trail Blazers Sunday, suffering with foot soreness.
But concerns grew Wednesday when the 39-year-old also wasn’t spotted at training, with head coach JJ Redick later confirming the prolonged absence.
‘LeBron is not with the team right now,’ Redick said after practice. ‘He’s out for personal reasons, excused absence.’
He added that the veteran is ‘taking some time’ and did not have a timeframe for when James would return to the team.
James was later confirmed to be ruled out for the Lakers’ game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday.
LeBron James is taking time away from the Los Angeles Lakers amid trade rumors
James is averaging 23 points, 9.1 assists and 8.0 rebounds so far this season – his 22nd in the NBA.
Redick also said that he is in constant communication with both James and his longtime athletic trainer, Mike Mancias, about managing the four-time MVP’s workload as he nears his 40th birthday, which he will celebrate at the end of the month.
‘In game, he’s asked for a sub a couple times because he’s gassed,’ Redick said. ‘For us, we have to be cognizant as we play more and more games, just the cumulative effect of playing a lot of minutes and Sunday, being banged up with the foot thing, it felt like a good opportunity for him to get some rest.’
James expressed a desire earlier this season to play in all 82 games, but both he and the Lakers are now being practical with the inevitable minor injuries that arise during any season.
The mysterious absence comes after James has been shrouded in trade rumors this week.
The Golden State Warriors are said to be monitoring the veteran as they search for a second star to join Steph Curry, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported this week.
“The Warriors have dreamed of pairing LeBron with Steph Curry and Draymond Green since last year,’ he said on the network’s ‘Get Up.’
‘They’ve made an inquiry and it got shut down last February. That was before LeBron played with Steve Kerr and Steph Curry and won the gold medal over the summer.
The NBA legend, pictured with wife Savannah, will celebrate his 40th birthday this month
Lakers head coach JJ Redick (right) told reporters that James was ‘taking some time’ away
James and son Bronny became the first-ever father-son duo to play in the NBA
‘So, they will definitely monitor the situation, and I don’t think they do anything without knowing this door is locked, but I would just say with LeBron, it’s up to him. He has a no-trade clause and he has given no indication he wants the Lakers to do anything but upgrade the roster they’ve got, not that he wants to go anywhere.’
James fulfilled his dream of playing alongside his son, Bronny, in the NBA this season when the 20-year-old was selected by the Lakers in the second round of the 2024 Draft.
They became the first-ever father-son duo to suit up alongside each other in an NBA game during the Lakers’ season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves on October 22.
However, James Jnr. was assigned to the Lakers’ G-League affiliate earlier last month and is expected to move between LA and South Bay this season.
James Snr. received a full no-trade clause from the Lakers in the two-year, $101.4 million contract he signed in the offseason and it appeared that he would bring the curtain down on his career in Los Angeles since originally joining the team in the summer of 2018.
