Although Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel suggested that he didn’t want LeBron James to play a ton in the preseason, that doesn’t mean the King will be held out of the exhibition season entirely. In fact, LeBron is expected play in Saturday evening’s preseason opener in San Francisco against the Golden State Warriors.
Lakers head coach Frank Vogel told reporters on Friday that he expects both Anthony Davis and LeBron James to play against the Warriors when they open up the brand new Chase Center. It will be the first time that Lakers fans will see their two stars take the court together.
Saturday’s game, which will be televised on TNT, is the Lakers first game before they head to China to face off against the Brooklyn Nets for a two-game set in Shenzhen and Shanghai.
LeBron’s team hasn’t been in China with his NBA team since 2012. James also played in the China Games in 2007 with the Cleveland Cavaliers in Shanghai and Macao against now-teammate Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic.
Saturday is also expected to be the first look at the new-look Warriors, who replaced Kevin Durant with Brooklyn guard D’Angelo Russell. They’re also awaiting the return of star shooting guard Klay Thompson, who injured his knee in the 2019 NBA Finals and won’t be back until at least the All-Star break.
