EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — LeBron James was sidelined to open training camp Tuesday with what Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick called “a little bit of nerve irritation in the glute.”
James, who turns 41 in December, will become the first player in league history to have played 23 seasons when the Lakers host the Golden State Warriors on opening night next month.
Redick said “the goal” was for James to be recovered in time for the Warriors game, but the coach did not rule out James participating in at least one of the Lakers’ six preseason games.
“It’s probably a little bit longer of a ramp-up leading into opening night for him,” Redick said of James. “Obviously in Year 23, it’s uncharted territory here.”
Redick said that James “probably did too much” in training camp last fall to show “buy-in” and ready himself and the team during Redick’s maiden voyage as a head coach.
“It’ll be a slower process with him leading into the first game,” Redick said. “He’s obviously got 22 years so far of wear and tear on the body and he’s dealing with a little bit of nerve irritation in the glute.
“So, we’re just playing the long game with LeBron.”
James told ESPN on Monday that “it remains to be seen” how much he planned to participate in training camp this year.
“I’m still ramping things back up,” James told ESPN. “I’m not where I want to be. But I mean, I don’t want to be where I want to be right now in September. So, I got some time and I’m looking forward to the process of getting there.”
James’ camp met with the Lakers’ brass leading up to training camp with a directive for the team to be “overly cautious” with the four-time champion in the early going to preserve him for a hopefully long playoff run, sources told ESPN.
James, who averaged 24.4…
