LeBron James: what has the Sixers concerned
LeBron James continues to defy time, but his body requires more and more attention: his left foot and lower back are the areas to watch
Entering his 24th NBA season, LeBron James increasingly has to manage the demands on his body as well. According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, the areas that require the most attention are his left foot and lower back.
Particular attention is being paid to his left foot, where, according to sources familiar with the situation who spoke to ESPN, he is dealing with chronic arthritis, and to his lower back, which caused him to miss the first month of last season because of sciatica
Dave McMenamin
In recent years, LeBron has had to deal with several lower-body issues, missing multiple games. For Philadelphia, managing him throughout the season will therefore be important, especially with the goal of having him in the best possible condition when it matters most.
Minutes management could be one solution, perhaps cutting back on some minutes or sitting out a few games during the Regular Season. The Sixers also have enough talent to afford it: Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid can take on greater offensive responsibility when needed.
LeBron’s role in Philadelphia is still very much to be determined, but having so many alternatives could allow the Sixers to avoid asking him to do everything all the time. And entering Year 24, that could be exactly the key to managing him as effectively as possible.