LeBron James suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his left knee during the Lakers‘ series-ending loss to Minnesota on Wednesday, a league source tells Dave McMenamin of ESPN. James underwent an MRI on Thursday that revealed the extent of the damage.
The injury occurred in a collision with Donte DiVincenzo midway through the fourth quarter of Game 5 (Twitter video link from Wolves Lead). James collapsed to the court in pain and briefly checked out to have the knee examined by the team’s trainer before returning to the game. DiVincenzo was whistled for a foul on the play for a moving screen.
The injury typically involves a recovery timeline of three to five weeks, the source told McMenamin, so James likely wouldn’t have been able to return until the Western Conference Finals or the NBA Finals if L.A. hadn’t been eliminated. It would have ended his NBA record streak of appearing in 292 straight playoff games, McMenamin adds.
James continued to produce at a remarkable level in his 22nd NBA season, averaging 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists in 70 games and putting himself in position to earn an All-NBA spot for a 21st consecutive season.
The four-time MVP holds a $52.6MM player option for 2025/26, but wasn’t ready to discuss his future when speaking to reporters following Wednesday’s game. The expectation is that he’ll play at least one more season.
Lmao of course he did.
The biggest loser in sports history.
What an intelligent statement.
Why because he got injured? Are you saying he didn’t really get hurt but just wants headlines
My people. It’s good to know more and more are seeing through the BS that is Brawny Sensation. You’ll come around eventually, amk1920. Perhaps he was injured, but yeah, probably not a multiple-week injury if he was still able to move around freely for several game minutes. I had to go back and check the collision – LeBron instigated the contact, like he often does, because he wasn’t looking where he was going. He’s getting way too sloppy out there – illegal screens, pushing/elbowing opponents on both ends of the court, not looking where he’s going. How much longer is this gonna go on?
Why so mad tho?
Who cares? It’s weird, man.
Edwards fell on the ground in game 4 and looked like he got shot too. Every player does it. It’s the modern NBA. To act like it’s a LeBron thing is hilarious. Half the time KD is on the floor looking like the “my leg” guy from SpongeBob
I’m sure he would feel very intimidated by your winning resume.
“The biggest loser in sports history.”
Such an ignorant and uninformed take. Lazy, too. Four championships with three different teams and clowns like you will still hate. I don’t even like Lebron but the real biggest losers out there are the Lebron haters.
Lebron fans love to come up with all the excuses in the world to protect his image.
His fans are some of the most pathetic clowns I’ve ever encountered. They are unbearable.
So, yes James deserves all the hate he gets.
Nothing but excuses… They got their bottom handed to them.
LeBron didn’t bring it up one time during any of the press he did. Didn’t say it affected the outcome at all. Now 2 days later it’s reported by a league source and somehow it’s an “excuse”. The definition of an excuse is to lessen or divert the blame to an alternative reason. Not once did anyone on the lakers staff, players, or himself mention it one time. The way you lebron haters act like a jelaous ex girlfriend is hilarious. Anything that happens or he says is wrong. The guy could literally say water is wet and you guys try to find a way to discredit that.
A bit of a drama queen are you? First an excuse is an explanation for something that you did or didn’t do or for something that happened or not. Second the Lakers built an unbalanced roster and lost because of that. Third it wasn’t a jab at Lebron, as no one can deny his accomplishments or the quality player he is, a part for maybe not being an elite defender. And finally four games to one is an ass whooping. As for my nothing but excuses you have this “injury”, Doncic’s stomach problem, crying about how the refs favored one team or missed calls… The only one who said “we got beat by a better team is their coach.” And yes the lakers got their ass handed to them! deal with it! And sorry if it gets your panties in a bunch.
I love when someone takes a stab and then walks to back as if what they said wasn’t a stab. Say what you mean and mean what you say kid. I would love for you to google the definition of excuse because what I put in my post is the definition from google. A league source reports something two days after the game is not an excuse it’s called reporting a fact. Not one Laker player or staff member said a word about Luka being sick or LeBron hurting his knee as an “excuse” for them getting beat. You are simply wrong, just own it.
I heard a rumor lebron gonna force lakers to draft his other son AND his daughter too !
Not a bad idea honestly. After LeBron retires, his kids can become the three stooges of the nba.
So his injury was so bad that he’d be out 3-5 weeks, yet was able to finish up the 2nd half of the 4th quarter with no issues? C’mon.
cope cope cope, Mr. 4-6
What’s your record in finals series?
10-0
So why did he go back on the floor with a big injury?? So can you blame him for the loss? I remember a finals where he claimed a hand injury after he lost
He claimed he broke his hand and then video leaked of him doing pushups with that hand just fine lol.
Did that make you really angry? Were you hyperventilating?
it’s interesting after every bad playoff loss he always gets injured of the 4th quarter of the close out game
Alibi Ike James
Dante is a b*tch
LeBron saw Donte and chose to make the contact and sell the foul; this one is on James.
Um, no
The only way the Lakers improve their roster is for LBJ to take a huge pay cut. Wonder if he’s going to do it….
He was willing to take a huge pay cut last off season when the Lakers were chasing Klay Thompson.
Kow- I think he would 100% and like Chuck said he was willing last year for Klay or DDR but I think at least 1 trade will be necessary regardless
Even if Lbj lobbed off 25 mill it would only get them a 14m a year full MLE in a terrible terrible terrible fa class.
Your top 5 guys to go after are players like NAW Portis BLopez Capella Ty Jerome ….not exactly needle movers in any regards
They also don’t have a great asset bank to enter said trade market
Adding that all up leads me too…….
We love Reaves out here but there absolutely has to be a conversation (starting yesterday) on what’s his best value to the franchise for the next 5~10 years. It very very very well may be trading him this summer for that vertical threat C to pair with Luka for the (hopeful) next decade. Tough calls and I cant say Im 100% confident in Pelinka being the one to navigate the maze
Alexander-Walker would be a good fit. He plays good perimeter and team defense, hits some threes and can keep up with quicker wings like Edwards. He should have a good idea on how to guard Edwards after the last couple aeas. Capella wouldn’t be a bad stop gap short term answer either. They just got to keep the payroll clear for Jokìc when he becomes FA eligible in the 26-27 off season.
NAW has always been my number 1 option although I was a bit underwhelmed with him this series
His shots been missing for like 7 weeks now but yea i See him as a nice KCP mold SG w length and can switch 1~4, great pairing next to Luka as he’s good off the catch and shoot and requires v little usage. I like Ty better as a force but NAW probably/definitely fits better
Agreed about Pelinka, Cap & Crunch. I really wanted to see how Lakers would mesh post-LeBron and with AD as the be-all end-all. Now that that won’t happen, I’m still imagining the trio of Luka-Reaves-Hachimura as a formidable core to build around. It’s too bad that may never happen because of LeBron sticking around too long. It makes the most sense for Lakers to go all in on the Luka era, and that means not inviting LeBron back. You start with that aforementioned core – hey, Reaves and Hachimura have already proven plenty of times they can get you SEVERAL buckets a game in LeBron’s absence – and see about someone like Capela or maybe overpay for that younger center in Brooklyn. They don’t necessarily need to go get a sharp shooter, although someone like Kennard or Batum or bringing back Beasley would probably get you more than Vincent’s production. There’s been all this talk about Lakers needing a perimeter defender – wasn’t that why Finney-Smith was brought in? Move off him then? Will that anger Luka? Who knows. I say hold off on extending Luka and let 2026 season determine whether he is your long-term superstar. If he leaves, then so be it – go sign another superstar. No biggie. But you’re never gonna get the full Luka experience unless LeBron steps aside completely. You’ve played long enough, LeBron. It’s not your league anymore; let the much younger guys assume the spotlight.
He’s a very nice player, but you gotta move Reaves for 2 reasons:
1) To compete Lakers need a high quality rim protector, rim runner. Reaves is the only Laker asset with enough value.
2) He doesn’t fit with Luka. Lakers need somebody that can defend.
Must have happened when he flopped.
Jj has lost his GD mind the last 72 hrs and there very well could be major implications to come from it
I get that he’s emotional but theres a fine line and he blew right past it in grand fashion
You have Rui Reaves DFS lbj AND Luka all ext eligible and you want to berate them for Reaves not being able to muscle up 80 more lbs of Randle? Rudy outboarding DFS? Rui just because, well I got nothing there, Rui was awesome…lets just go with to be a d**k and not have to scream at Luka/LBJ
Come on man, you have to set a Lakers (players) culture not a JJ culture….whew, terrible 72 hrs…Im perfectly Ok with the series loss, Minny 100% earned it but inexplicable behavior from JJ in Games 4 and 5 before, after, and during the games
I’m so glad that there’s a legitimate reason other than they played a better team
My Top 10 favorite LeBron playoff exits (continued)
What I’m gonna do differently the rest of the way is NOT rank each new nominee like I’ve been previously doing. But rest assured, #1 and #2 will likely remain in those positions. Let’s resume the list (look for new inclusions under Laker headlines, especially headlines with LeBron in them). Let’s continue the list……
NEXT NOMINEE: 2021, 2-4 versus Suns (WCFR)
——I’ll always remember this series for the fact that an AVID Lakers friend of mine mentioned the first time he sat down to watch a Lakers game that season was for the play-in win (7v8?) against the Warriors. Maybe this was because of his girlfriend not being a basketball fan? Perhaps. I’d prefer to think LeBron had something to do with this surprising discovery. Go on YouTube and you should easily find a PLETHORA of “LeBron quits on his team” videos. This series arguably best represents such a sad fact, of which too many LeBron fans/media lushes absolutely CANNOT come to grips with any more than they can admit that a 4-6 Finals record ALONE should far remove such a player from any top 2/top 3/top 4/top 5 GOAT lists – or even ‘greatest of his own era’ list. LeBron’s behavior/demeanor those final few games, after AD went down, was atrociously disappointing for a star athlete – but I can see it flying under the radar with a lot of people, considering the time we were in (spring ‘21).
#1: 2017, 1-4 versus Warriors (Finals)
#2: 2023, 0-4 vs Nuggets (WCF)
#3: 2014, 1-4 vs Spurs (Finals)
Luka loves his cars …..
link to autoevolution.com