LeBron James has wrapped up his preseason with the Los Angeles Lakers. He will make his next appearance on the court for their regular season opener on Oct. 22 against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
James opted out of playing in the Lakers’ preseason game against the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night. Coach JJ Redick explained that the star player was resting, jokingly referring to it as “DNP – old,” taking a page out of Gregg Popovich’s book when he once sat Tim Duncan during the 2012-13 season.
The decision was made not to have James play in the Lakers’ final preseason match against the Golden State Warriors on Friday as well, as reported by TNT’s Jared Greenberg. There was no need to have him play back-to-back games that don’t count.
Throughout the preseason, the 39-year-old James played in three games, averaging 12 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in 18.3 minutes per game. He showcased strong shooting percentages, hitting 46.9% from the field and 57.1% from beyond the arc.
By sitting out the last two preseason games, James will have a full week of rest before the Lakers’ regular season opener. This upcoming season will mark his 22nd in the NBA, tying him with newly inducted Hall of Famer Vince Carter for the most seasons played in league history.