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LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers were sent home by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. During that series, James encountered a stray contact with Donte Divincenzo and ended up with a torn MCL. LeBron has faced only a few major injuries in his career, as he has been an iron man since day one.
LeBron has stayed relatively healthy but is not new to rehab. James has been a fan of a process called “bio-hacking” by which he uses advanced scientific methods to prepare his body for the grind of a season. He credits his regimen as a large part of why he’s still playing 22 years after being drafted in 2003.
Now, he is preparing for an arduous return. At 40 years old, James is struggling to recover as quickly as he would like. He spoke on his podcast, Mind the Game, with cohost Steve Nash about how difficult the past few weeks have already been.
“Even though I can’t do much as far as lower body stuff, I’m still in the weight room, I can still get it in the upper body. I’m not a guy that likes to sit around … They tell you to take at least two weeks off at the end of the season, but I’m just not that guy,” started James. “I’m going crazy right now. Stir crazy.”
Being cooped up and unable to do what you normally would is a unique type of pain. It is one that most of us only know by being stuck in bed with an illness instead of with a major ligament tear, but it’s something many can relate to nonetheless.
As the old adage says, there is no better recovery method than laughter. The youngest child of the James family, Zhuri, has been helping her father in that regard.
As he went on, James shared that he wanted to spend more time swimming, largely due to its health benefits, before admitting that his daughter was a huge part of the motivation. “I can mess around a little bit with my daughter, so that helps. Just trying to stay active … My daughter is a big pool girl, so that definitely is a reason for me to get in there,” said LeBron.
James has a history of working out with Zhuri in attendance and plans to continue that this offseason. Whether she’s a good luck charm or a minor participant is uncertain, but if she keeps him having fun, there’s no way it could be a bad thing.
More must-reads:
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- Dylan Harper injures calf, leaves arena in walking boot
- The 'NFL Passing YPG leaders' quiz
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Lakers' Jake LaRavia has thrived since Grizzlies gave up on him
One year, the Memphis Grizzlies declined the fourth-year option on former No. 19 pick Jake LaRavia's rookie deal. Maybe the disrespect lit a fire under LaRavia, who has scored 25 points in two of his last three games for the Los Angeles Lakers. Memphis traded the No. 22 and No. 29 picks in the 2022 draft to move up and select LaRavia out of Wake Forest. But injuries limited LaRavia in his first two seasons, where he only played 35 games each year, averaging 6.9 points and shooting only 38.9 percent overall and 33.9 percent on threes. The Grizzlies decided not to keep LaRavia at a modest $5.19M for 2025-26, only to see him blossom in his third year with the team. Jake LaRavia showed huge improvement last season LaRavia looked like a different player almost immediately after the Grizzlies declined his option. He shot over 44.4 percent from three-point range in the season's first three months and averaged almost a steal per game. The Grizzlies were 8.2 points per game better than their opponents with LaRavia on the floor, thanks to his improved offense and above-average defense. The problem was that Memphis only had LaRavia signed through the season, having forfeited his bargain fourth-year salary and losing his "Bird rights," which would have allowed them to exceed the salary cap to resign him. The Grizzlies were also planning to cut their payroll so they could renegotiate and extend Jaren Jackson, Jr., so they traded LaRavia to the Sacramento Kings for a second-round pick in 2028. The Lakers didn't expect this level of performance from Jake LaRavia When LaRavia became a free agent, inking him to a two-year, $12M deal was the Lakers' first move of the 2025 offseason. He was seen as a depth piece to help make up for Dorian Finney-Smith's departure to the Houston Rockets. The Lakers saw the upside of locking in the 23-year-old at a bargain price, but they probably never thought he'd be this much of a scorer. Sunday, LaRavia scored 25 points the day after his 24th birthday in a 130-120 win over the Miami Heat. He added eight rebounds and four steals, shooting 10-for-13 from the floor. It was only the seventh time in his career LaRavia had scored 20 or more points, and the sixth happened four days earlier, when LaRavia scored 27 points on 10-for-11 shooting in a 116-115 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. LaRavia's play is a huge reason why the Lakers are 5-2 despite Luka Doncic missing three games and LeBron James not playing at all. The Lakers have also been bolstered by the play of Marcus Smart, a player the Grizzlies gave up a first-round pick to get rid of at the same time they ditched LaRavia. Smart has seven steals in five games for an undermanned Lakers defense that remains solidly average. With Doncic and Austin Reaves continuing to draw the most defensive attention, there's no reason LaRavia's outside shooting and cuts to the hoop will stop working. He's looking like a very solid three-and-D wing, every NBA team's ideal, and at a bargain price. Memphis had reasons to give up on LaRavia, but this past week has made them regret their lack of faith.
Brewers Make Savvy Roster Move To Protect 25-Year-Old Curveball Specialist
The Milwaukee Brewers had a flurry of roster activity on Monday, but only one decision of serious consequence was made. Starting pitcher Freddy Peralta had his club option exercised, while fellow starter Brandon Woodruff and catcher Danny Jansen had mutual options that were declined by one of the parties. But those were all foregone conclusions. What was less certain, however, was whether the Brewers would keep one of their pitching prospects or expose him to the Rule 5 Draft in December. Brewers add Coleman Crow to 40-man roster On Monday, the Brewers added a new player to the 40-man roster: right-handed pitcher Coleman Crow. He's 24, throws a filthy curveball, and is a candidate to make his major league debut at some point within the next season. This season, Crow made 12 minor-league appearances -- 10 in Double-A, and two in Triple-A. He was having a very strong year, posting a 3.24 combined ERA and 64 strikeouts in 50 innings, but unfortunately, hip and forearm injuries kept him from pitching after July 9. Since mid-2023, Crow has been traded twice (once to the New York Mets, then to the Brewers) and also underwent Tommy John surgery. But MLB Pipeline still has him as the No. 25 prospect in the organization, and if the Brewers have a great track record with anything in recent years, it's getting the most from their young pitchers. The Brewers still have a first-round pick, oft-injured outfielder Eric Brown Jr., who could be Rule 5 eligible if he's not protected. On the pitching side, righty Justin Yeager is another name to watch, as the 27-year-old delivered a fantastic 2.04 ERA this past season and could probably be in a big-league bullpen to start next year. At some point next season, expect to see Crow get a shot at working out of the Brewers' rotation. That could come because someone else gets injured, or simply because he winds up dealing at Triple-A to begin the year and Milwaukee doesn't sign any big-name free agents.
Bears survey trade market after losing Dayo Odeyingbo for the year
It's likely to be costly but the Bears must pay the price now at defensive end with the season-ending loss of edge starter Dayo Odeyingbo to a torn Achilles. The free agent acquisition can look forward to a tough rehab from an injury that frequently takes up to a year to get past. Austin Booker will get to play most of the snaps at that position now. Without Odeyingbo and with Shemar Turner out for the year, they're without two edge but also Dominique Robinson has a high ankle sprain. "I thought Book played a nice game yesterday," coach Ben Johnson said. "I was very pleased to see that for his first game back. So no (not worried), I do have a lot of confidence there. Hopefully we’ll get Dom Robinson back too. He was doing some nice things there early in the season as well. We’ve got some depth. You can never have too many pass rusher. "You can never have too many cover players on the back end either. That’s how I have always felt since I’ve been in this league.” Actually, they don't have depth now, at least not proven edge players but he's right about the need always for players at that position. So the trade market beckons for GM Ryan Poles by Tuesday at 3 p.m. "I know Ryan and his crew have been doing their due diligence all throughout the fall, all the way up until tomorrow to make sure we’re turning over every stone to make sure if there’s a way that we can improve this roster, we’ll do that," Johnson said. "But I feel good about the guys we have on the roster currently." Trading now will be a case of biting the bullet and doing what they must. The attitude by Poles has always been to preserve his draft picks, but he didn't mind giving up a future fourth-round pick to draft Booker. So giving up as much as a second or third shouldn't hurt too much. "Those are always great questions. Ryan and I have a constant dialogue on players that might be available," Johnson said. "We talk nonstop about this and we've been doing it for a while now. He's doing, like I said, his due diligence to making sure that we look at everyone that could be available and that could help this football team in the here and the now, and also have in the back of our head what the ramifications of that also are (long term), the consequences when you give up capital, whether it's players or draft picks, what that does to your roster in the long-term. "It is a balancing act, but it's one that I think we have a really good process and a lot of communication on." The Bears missed on a chance for Jaelan Phillips, the Miami edge rusher. He was acquired in a trade by the Eagles from Miami earlier Monday. There had been reports the Bears had interest in him. It cost th Eagles a third-round pick. Because Odeyingbo was a more stout player who fit the Dennis Allen defensive scheme as a run stopper/edge rusher, it wouldn't be a surprise if they were looking for someone in the plus-260 range for weight. Booker isn't that type of player, and is only in his second year. He just became active Sunday after a knee injury in preseason landed him on IR. Booker had a strip-sack in the game. Pro Football Focus gave Booker the highest grade of any Bears player for pass rush on Sunday, an 85.8 for pass rush for 31 snaps. Gervon Dexter recovered the fumble caused by Booker on the sack of Joe Flacco and it led to a field goal. Booker has 2 1/2 career sacks and seven pressures according to Stathead/Pro Football Reference. Players actually on the trade market could include Cincinnati's Trey Hendrickson, Miami's Bradley Chubb, New Orleans' Carl Granderson and Cam Jordan. Both Granderson and Jordan played against the Bears last month and played a huge chunk of their careers for Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen. Speculation the Giants would trade Kayvon Thibodeaux appears unfounded. Dianna Russini reported the Giants have told teams they want a first-round pick in exchange. That would have been interesting for the Bears and especially the Giants since they play each other this week. Cleveland's Myles Garrett has repeatedly demanded a trade but the Browns are resistant to that. Besides, his salary would take the Bears far over the cap and would require cutting someone or restructuring several contracts if it's even possible. The Raiders have also said they are not trading Maxx Crosby, but their season is slipping away now after yet another tight loss and perhaps they would listen to requests. The problem the Bears have for trading at this point in the season and with few edges on their roster is 1) the competition and 2) their own desperation. Whoever has a qualified edge is going to demand the highest compensation in a trade for draft picks. The Lions, 49rs, Cowboys and several other teams could be seeking an edge besides the Bears. The Bears have $7.88 million available in cap space now according to Overthecap.com.
Buffalo Bills receive devastating news on injured rookie CB
Not the news Buffalo Bills fans wanted to hear. Head Coach Sean McDermott delivered a troubling update on Dorian Strong during a Tuesday afternoon press conference, pointing toward a long-term absence for the Bills’ rookie cornerback. The sixth-round pick has been dealing with a neck injury which led to his placement on Injured Reserve on Oct. 4, and entering Week 10, McDermott says that Strong has not received an encouraging update regarding his ailment. “I do have some more clarity, it’s not good in terms of the reports and everything,” said McDermott. “I don’t want to get into where it may go. It’s not moving in the direction we would like it to at this point. I’ll stop there just out of respect for Dorian.” Strong was selected by the Bills with the 177th overall pick in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft and went on to earn the start in the first game of his NFL career in Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens in place of injured veteran Tre’Davious White. Strong played in each of the Bills’ first four games of the season, but was injured before Buffalo’s Week 5 matchup against the New England Patriots and it now appears he has been lost for the year. The next question is, will this injury impact his career? Neck injuries are tricky and often dealt with conservatively. “He and I have had some conversations over the last few days and I wish the reports were better at this point,” added McDermott. Strong recorded 10 tackles during four games in his first professional season. — Sign up for OnSI’s Free Buffalo Bills Newsletter —
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