The revisionism over how healthy LeBron James actually is has already started as the Los Angeles Lakers are coming to terms with a lost season. And it’s something that many fans have wondered about, but the Lakers haven’t said until now: LeBron still isn’t 100% after his groin injury.
With the Lakers being the Lakers, they still have a ton of games coming on national television including Saturday night’s primetime affair with the Boston Celtics. So for them to have a minutes restriction on James has to come with some sort of reason. That reason, according to Luke Walton, is that LeBron is still feeling some effects from the groin injury that kept him out for 18 games.
From Matthew Moreno of Lakers Nation
Some of the cynics will wonder, isn’t this the same guy who wore a cast at the podium after getting swept in the NBA Finals? Well yes, it is, but the Lakers do have an opportunity to tank their way to a high lottery pick.
As we’ve seen with the Anthony Davis situation in New Orleans, sitting out a player of that caliber just isn’t going to happen under the NBA’s watch. But the Lakers are managing expectations of fans, as well as the league, by bringing up the injury.
And the other side of the coin is, perhaps this is true and maybe a reason why LeBron’s return didn’t single-handedly save the Lakers season. But no matter what the stated reasons are, LeBron’s role will be significantly diminished as the Lakers close the season.
