With the NBA 75th season set to begin, the Los Angeles Lakers are set to make adjustments needed to help maximize LeBron James’ playing time on the court.
Lakers head coach Frank Vogel told reporters on Monday that the team will manage James’ workload on a “day to day” basis this year and that he does not envision the four-time MVP playing in all 82 games. Vogel also said that they would like to limit James to about 34 minutes a night overall.
James played in 45 of 72 games last season, averaging 33.4 minutes per game. But much of that was due to the high-ankle sprain he suffered in March and the subsequent reintegration period.
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Even if James is now fully healthy, the Lakers will continue to be conservative with his workload. Adding Russell Westbrook as another primary playmaker will definitely give the team the insurance policy needed to lighten up James workload.