One of the biggest subplots of the 2020-21 NBA season has been an increase in players getting injured, with a number of these being the sorts of soft tissue injuries that can come from being overworked. It’s not hard to draw the link between the circumstances under which this season began — the shortest offseason in league history due to the Orlando Bubble — and all of this, and in a series of tweets on Wednesday afternoon, LeBron James did just that.
James took to Twitter and said that he tried to push back against starting the season when it did, claiming that he knew that injuries ticking up was an inevitability. He also said that these various injuries are directly due to a lack of rest, and that “I speak for the health of all our players and I hate to see this many injuries this time of the year. Sorry fans wish you guys were seeing all your fav guys right now.”
They all didn’t wanna listen to me about the start of the season. I knew exactly what would happen. I only wanted to protect the well being of the players which ultimately is the PRODUCT & BENEFIT of OUR GAME! These injuries isn’t just “PART OF THE GAME”. It’s the lack of PURE
— LeBron James (@KingJames) June 16, 2021
RIM REST rest before starting back up. 8, possibly 9 ALL-STARS has missed Playoff games(most in league history). This is the best time of the year for our league and fans but missing a ton of our fav players. It’s insane. If there’s one person that know about the body and how it
— LeBron James (@KingJames) June 16, 2021
works all year round it’s ME! I speak for the health of all our players and I hate to see this many injuries this time of the year. Sorry fans wish you guys were seeing all your fav guys right now.
— LeBron James (@KingJames) June 16, 2021
James went on to tweet that he understands the business side of all of this, and offered up support to Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard, who suffered an ACL injury in Game 4 of the team’s Western Conference Semifinal series against the Utah Jazz that could sideline him for some time.
And I know all about the business side too/factors so don’t even try me! I get it.
— LeBron James (@KingJames) June 16, 2021
to the
Klaw
— LeBron James (@KingJames) June 16, 2021
While it’s easy to say this is sour grapes for James due to a hobbled Lakers side being eliminated in the first round, he is both correct and someone who intimately aware of the way injuries have played a role this season. While the ankle injury he suffered doesn’t quite fit into this, both Anthony Davis and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope suffered these sorts of injuries during the team’s postseason run.