NBA superstar LeBron James has taken a leave of absence from the Los Angeles Lakers, citing "personal reasons."
This announcement was made by Lakers head coach J.J. Redick, who described the situation as an "excused absence."
James, who is currently managing a foot injury, missed his first game of the season on Wednesday.
Coach Redick explained that James has been feeling "gassed," indicating potential mismanagement of his playing minutes during his 22nd season in the league. "For us, we have to be cognizant as we play more and more games, just the cumulative effect of playing a lot of minutes," Redick stated.
Initially, James had expressed a desire to participate in all 82 games this season. However, the circumstances have shifted, with his current average of 23.0 points per game being the lowest since his rookie year with the Cleveland Cavaliers over two decades ago.
Despite achieving six triple-doubles this season, including a streak of four consecutive ones, the toll of injuries and extensive playtime appears to be impacting his performance.
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