JJ Redick Delivers Surprising LeBron James Injury Update

Sunday’s game was the first of a back-to-back, with the Phoenix Suns waiting in the wings on Monday night. It doesn’t take a genius to connect the dots. The Pelicans, with their abysmal 3-17 record, were the sacrificial lamb. Why risk your aging king against a team that’s practically begging to be beaten when a tougher opponent is on the horizon? It’s just smart (and soul-crushingly predictable) load management.

LeBron’s agent and pal, Rich Paul, has already gone on record saying he’d prefer James to skip back-to-backs entirely. I mean, at 40 years old and in his 23rd NBA season, can you blame him? The man has earned the right to treat the regular season like a series of optional scrimmages. But Redick, ever the diplomat, isn’t ready to commit to that strategy just yet. He’s trying to keep the dream alive, bless his heart.

When asked about the long-term plan, Redick stopped short of confirming that LeBron would be a permanent fixture on the bench for one half of every back-to-back. Instead, he offered a glimmer of hope that felt more like a prayer. “We’re going to build him up, hopefully, to be able to play in back-to-backs,” he said. “That’s the goal.” You hear that, Lakers fans? The goal is for your best player to play in consecutive games. How inspiring.

Redick continued, “Every back-to-back is a case-by-case, that’s just the reality of the NBA right now. But we want him to be able to play in back-to-backs, so does he. So we’re going to work towards that.” It’s a nice sentiment from the new coach, but let’s be real. We’ll believe it when we see it. Until then, expect a lot of “injury management” and “precautionary” absences.

Do the Lakers Even Need LeBron?

In the four games since his return from the sciatica saga, LeBron has been putting up respectable, if not world-ending, numbers: 16.5 points, 8.3 assists, and 5.0 rebounds. The Lakers, to their credit, won all four of those games. And now, they’ve won without him. It’s almost as if having other talented players on the roster, like Marcus Smart (who was also out with back spasms) and Gabe Vincent, actually matters.

Look, nobody is saying the Lakers are better without LeBron James. That would be insane. But this win against the Pelicans proves they can handle their business against the league’s bottom-feeders without him. It allows Redick and the front office to be extra, extra careful with their prized possession, ensuring he’s as fresh as a 40-year-old can be for the games that actually count. So, while Redick talks a big game about building LeBron up for back-to-backs, the reality is likely much more pragmatic. And for Lakers fans, maybe that’s not such a bad thing.