Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James. Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

LeBron James admits his age will dictate his availability moving forward

By Olamilekan Ajayi | Last updated Jan 7, 2026 9:35 AM ET

LeBron James stood in front of reporters Tuesday night and said what everyone already suspected. The Los Angeles Lakers forward, who turned 41 just over a week ago, isn't committing to playing back-to-back games anymore.

He dropped 30 points in the Lakers' 111-103 win over New Orleans on Tuesday. Then came the reality check. He made it clear that his playing time is not guaranteed like it used to be. The Lakers have a quick turnaround against San Antonio on Wednesday. Whether James suits up is anyone's guess.

James has already passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for most career minutes in NBA history back in December. Those miles add up. His comment to reporters after the Pelicans game didn't leave much room for interpretation, as shared by Legion Hoops on X (formerly Twitter).

"Every back-to-back for the rest of the season is TBD," James said. "I am 41, I got the most minutes in NBA history... bank it right now."

LeBron on his status for Lakers-Spurs tomorrow:

“Every back-to-back for the rest of the season is TBD. I am 41, I got the most minutes in NBA history… bank it right now.”

(via @mcten)pic.twitter.com/LkndP0fcjJ
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) January 7, 2026

Sciatica derailed LeBron James' start to the season before his recent surge

James missed the first 14 games this season. Sciatica kept him out of the opener for the first time in his 23-season career. He made his debut on Nov. 18 against Utah and has been playing catch-up ever since.

James is averaging 21.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 6.8 assists through 18 games. His minutes are down to 33.3 per game, which is the lowest of his career when taking out lockout-shortened seasons.

But over the past week, James looked more like himself. He scored 31 against the Grizzlies on Jan. 2. Then came 26 points against the Grizzlies again two days later. Tuesday's 30-point performance against New Orleans made it three straight solid games. The Lakers went 4-1 over that stretch and climbed to 23-11.

Lakers leaning on depth

Austin Reaves has been dealing with a left calf strain. Rui Hachimura is out with a right calf strain, too. That puts more pressure on everyone else. Jake LaRavia has stepped up as a third option behind Luka Doncic and James.

LaRavia scored 26 points against Memphis on Sunday after dropping 21 two nights earlier. Doncic leads the league in scoring at 33.5 points per game and had another big night Tuesday with 30 points and 10 assists.

James has fought it off longer than anyone expected. But at 41, with nearly 60,000 career minutes on his body, the battles are getting harder. Every back-to-back is now a decision, not a given.

Olamilekan Ajayi

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