LeBron James has only been back for a short time, but his presence has elevated the Lakers from an explosive offense to a completely balanced, transition-dominated machine.
Even as he ceded control of the half-court offense to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, James stepped up the pace, stabilized the spacing and anchored the backline defensively with his 23-season veteran instincts.
But James is 40 years old and still the oldest active player in the league, and the Lakers are being extra cautious about James' workload, especially in back-to-back situations.
Head coach JJ Redick explained in a completely transparent manner that the team was keeping him out against the Pelicans while managing a foot injury.
“It's an injury he's had in the past and it's something we've had to deal with in the past,” Redick said. “Given the back-to-backs and the fact that he's basically coming out of training camp, which is his last ten days or so, so be cautious.”
Despite the precautions, both Redick and James have long-term plans that include playing on consecutive nights as early as possible.
Redick emphasized that the Lakers are already working towards this goal.
“We want to get him back-to-back, that's the goal,” Redick said. “But you're right, every back-to-back is situational. That's the reality of the NBA right now. But we want him to be able to play back-to-backs, and so is he, so we're going to work toward that goal.”
Given the surge in injuries to stars across the league, Los Angeles has good reason to be conservative. James has looked sharp since his return, but the risk of re-injury rises with fatigue, and the Lakers' strong start behind Doncic and Reeves allows them to take their time.
READ MORE: LeBron James Opens Up About Bronny’s Rapid Growth in the NBA
