TL;DR
- * LeBron James prioritizes competing for a championship, despite Lakers' future focus.
- * James' recovery from sciatica is reportedly progressing well, according to sources.
- * Charles Barkley suggests age, not sciatica, is the real reason for James' absence.
- * Accusing James of fabricating an injury is a stretch, given his career history.
The Los Angeles Lakers are entering the final season of LeBron James’ contract, and there’s no clear indication of which direction he’ll go once it officially expires. One thing that’s been consistent throughout is James’ desire to compete for another NBA championship.
“LeBron wants to compete for a championship,” Rich Paul told ESPN. He's aware the Lakers are focusing on future development. He gets that, but he prioritizes a genuine opportunity to achieve ultimate victory. We are very appreciative of the partnership that we've had for eight years with Jeanie [Buss] and Rob [Pelinka] and consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career.”
The Lakers haven't seen James on the court this season due to his ongoing sciatica issues. Despite his absence, Los Angeles has held its own. Lakers insider Dave McMenamin recently shared the latest update on James’ recovery timeline.
“I have been told by multiple sources over the last several days that his rehab and all of the process to get back to that return date is moving in the right direction,” McMenamin wrote.
Despite James being out of action, NBA icon Charles Barkley isn't convinced by the injury rationale. He suspects age is the true cause of James's non-attendance.
“He’s just old. Aging is inevitable for everyone. He states it's sciatica. That signifies something specific, Dan. I understand his back is bothering him,” Barkley said on the Dan Patrick Show. “Most elderly individuals experience back pain, Dan. Elderly individuals frequently experience back discomfort. It can present symptoms similar to sciatica. You can come up with all these medical terms. LeBron is old.”
There’s no doubt that James is aging, but to suggest that’s the only reason he’s missing time is a stretch. To accuse someone of fabricating an injury is to overstep a boundary.
James hadn’t missed an opening game in his first 22 seasons, so it doesn’t make sense to suddenly blame age now. Barkley’s take, to say the least, is an interesting one.