For the Lakers, first the good news: LeBron James was present in practice the other day. Even though he was not able to engage in full-contact scrimmages, his participation in drills signifies a major step forward in his rehabilitation from a left groin strain he suffered on Christmas Day. That the Lakers need him, stat, cannot be overstated; in the four weeks since he was sidelined due to the injury, they have gone a poor five and nine. Their post-Holiday slate has had them crater from fourth to ninth in conference standings.
Now the not-so-good news: James will still be unable to suit up against the Timberwolves today. Evidently, he still hasn’t fully recovered from the longest ailment-related break of his career, never mind his tweet that he would be “#BackInNoTime” after magnetic resonance imaging results gave cause for optimism. In all likelihood, it’s also because the Lakers are taking every precaution to ensure that they’re not unduly taxing their best player. Considering that he figures prominently in their future, their decision makes sense, the current setbacks notwithstanding.
No doubt, the Lakers rated James’ durability in signing him to a four-year contract during the offseason. It was hailed as the coup of the summer, and rightly so. Nonetheless, it bears wondering if his freak tweak should get management to consider accelerating their timeline for contention at the National Basketball Association’s highest levels. Even as he has proven time and again his capacity to raise the ceiling of teams he plays for, he needs help to get them over the top — especially with the Warriors continuing to rule the roost. They’ve stuck to their conservative stance so far, the same one that had them refraining from engaging in trade talks for Paul George and Kawhi Leonard last season and, currently, for Anthony Davis.
Given James’ seemingly sudden vulnerability, the balancing act is one the Lakers have had to become more aware of. So far, they’ve remained patient and, at the same time, prodding. Should he stay out and the losses keep coming, however, they’re bound to step up the pressure. Head of hoops operations Magic Johnson already did before, and there’s every indication head coach Luke Walton will again feel the heat if results don’t improve. And therein lies the rub: Expectations have risen dramatically because of his arrival, but they haven’t been tempered by his absence. It’s a curse that will always come with the blessings he brings, and a curse that only he can break in the final analysis.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994.
