There was much speculation this year that Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James might be retiring at the end of the NBA season but he appears to be just as good as ever. The veteran forward is still playing more than 30 minutes a game and has been scoring at will as the Lakers are bouncing back from a tough December that saw them go 5-7.
LeBron’s age doesn’t seem to be much of a factor these days but after speaking to media this week he has cast some doubt on his availability for back-to-back games the rest of the season. He said in a media scrum, as quoted by TMZ, that “every back-to-back for the rest of the season is [to be determined]. I am 41. I got the most minutes in NBA history. Bank it right now.”
“Every back-to-back for the rest of the season is TBD. I am 41.”
LeBron on back-to-back games 😭
(via @SpectrumSN) pic.twitter.com/zQCynIZFn0
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 7, 2026
James did have a smile on his face as he made the statement so it’s possible that his comments were tongue in cheek but him sitting out those games is not out of the question. NBA teams have taken this approach with some of their older players or even some of the younger players that have a lengthy injury history a la Joel Embiid.
James has already missed some time this season after dealing with an offseason back issue so it makes sense for LA to take the cautious approach with their 41-year-old star. Fans who are hoping to catch James in what is likely one of his final seasons in the league should pay close attention to the schedule before buying tickets.
After 23 years in the NBA, James has certainly earned his off days and has banked tons of PTO with nearly 1,600 regular season games under his belt. The Lakers have plenty of talent outside of James and a succession plan in place with Luka Doncic also carrying the team from night to night. The third member of the big three in Austin Reaves is currently out with injury but head coach JJ Redick and his staff won’t risk overworking James with their eyes on a bigger prize in the spring.
They know that seeding is important but with a veteran team and two superstars in the mix, the most important thing is just to avoid the play-in games for some extra rest. If that means that LeBron takes a couple extra nights off then it is definitely worth the trade if it pays off with a deep playoff or championship run.
