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Lakers Rumors: Should LeBron James miss the first month of next season?

Kevin Germany|
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 11: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after winning the 2020 NBA Championship over the Miami Heat in Game Six of the 2020 NBA Finals at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on October 11, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 11: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after winning the 2020 NBA Championship over the Miami Heat in Game Six of the 2020 NBA Finals at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on October 11, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
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LeBron James
(Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers

Why LeBron James should sit out

LeBron James needs the rest. Load management works. Legendary Spurs coach Gregg Popovich first did it so Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili can play as long as they can. It worked. The Duncan/Parker/Ginobili lasted many seasons longer than we all thought.

A championship run takes a massive toll on any player. LeBron made it all the way to the NBA Finals in nine out of the past 10 seasons. That’s insane. The Duncan-era Spurs only made it to the finals six times in 15 years.

LeBron’s “revenge season” was so successful because he got some time off.  He needed the rest. A cyborg like him can still get hurt. Soft tissue injuries are a concern for any player in the latter stages of their career. Either their conditioning is subpar (never an issue for LeBron) or the wear and tear in their muscles cause a gradual breakdown.

LeBron did this before. In his first season in his second stint in Cleveland, he took a two-week break to rest his aching knee and back.

Not taking that break is a possible reason why LeBron got hurt in his first Lakers season. Jared Dudley has a legitimate point rebutting Billy Reinhardt’s argument the teams should play early.

Load management now has negative connotations because of the Clippers. Kawhi Leonard wanted to have the same schedule as the Clippers. He and Paul George got the privilege of sitting out while everybody else had to play all season long.

Related: How Tyronn Lue impacts the Los Angeles Lakers-Clippers rivalry

Putting Kawhi and Postgame Speech P above cost Doc Rivers his job. Lakers coach Frank Vogel will give everyone else the same privilege if LeBron sits out the first month of next season. All the Lakers skipped shootaround although LeBron and Anthony Davis were the most vocal players in pushing for it.

The stars have to be treated like everybody else on the team.

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