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LeBron James Gets Blunt Response from NBA All-Star

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Nathan Dougherty | Last updated Jun 6, 2025 8:39 AM ET

LeBron James is no stranger to the rigors of the NBA playoffs, knowing how much of a toll it takes on the body and suggesting a drastic change to help players prepare for it.

One NBA All-Star isn't on board with James' radical change.

In a May episode of the "Mind the Game" podcast, James floated the idea of players getting several weeks off to prepare for the NBA playoffs. James has appeared in 292 total playoff games in his career, the equivalent of an extra three-and-a-half NBA seasons.

"If they're going to allow it to be as physical as it is, you've got to give us a little time to prepare for it," James said. "Maybe 12 to 15 games left in the regular season. Like a month. Give us a month to prepare for it. Because it goes from zero to 100."

Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green, a longtime rival and off-the-court friend to James, shot down the idea. In an episode of "The Draymond Green Show," the Warriors forward said the idea could actually backfire and lead to more strain on players.

“I know Bron talked about there being a month off before the playoffs; I don’t know that that’s possible,” Green said. “A, guys will get a bit out of shape and can have an adverse effect, guys getting back in, and all of a sudden, you pull something because it’s been a month."

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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