Even though he was only on the court for exactly 29 minutes during the first game of the season against the Denver Nuggets, LeBron James still managed to score 21 points, grab 8 rebounds, and have a total performance of 10/16.

According to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, this is a plan that has been offered by the coaching staff of the Los Angeles Lakers to keep LeBron James in a position where he can play the full 2023/2024 season with a minimal danger of injury. This decision is understandable, especially considering that LeBron James will turn 39 in December of this coming year.

The previous year, LeBron James averaged 35.5 minutes per game with the Los Angeles Lakers, which was the second highest number of minutes played by him throughout his time with the team. Due to the severity of the damage to his right foot, he was forced to sit out 27 matches. If LeBron wants to be able to play for a longer stretch of games this season, the Lakers’ overall performance may suffer as a result of the decision to restrict LeBron’s playing time to an average of 29 to 20 minutes per game.

“I want to play, and I want to go out there and win, especially when you know that you can make a significant contribution to the team. But if that is the plan that the coaching staff has, I will always follow it. I will do it with every choice,” LeBron James said.

Not only that, but reducing the amount of playing time LeBron gets gives the other players an opportunity to learn how to show greater bravery in high-pressure situations. The Los Angeles Lakers possess a talented and deep roster, and they are extremely focused on winning the NBA title at the conclusion of the 2023–2024 season.