The Philadelphia Sixers knew they weren't getting 18-year-old phenom LeBron James, whom the Cavaliers drafted with the No. 1 overall pick in 2003; the 25-year-old version who signed with the Heat in 2010; or the 33-year-old who signed with the Lakers in 2018. They're getting the 41-year-old version, who, even though he's still very good (and not just for his age), is still 41.
On Monday, ESPN's Dave McMenamin published a piece that gave readers an inside look at the team's first full week of practice. In it, he wrote that LeBron arrived at the facility at 7:45 a.m., hours before practice started, to "work on his body," specifically mentioning James' left foot and back.
And there is special attention paid to his left foot, which has chronic arthritis, sources told ESPN, and his lower back, which caused him to miss the first month of last season because of sciatica.
While that's not what you want to read as a Sixers fan, it's not a surprise, either. As McMenamin mentioned, LeBron missed the start of last season because of sciatica, which can be a long-term issue. Unfortunately, for James, that seems to be the case. As for the arthritis, he missed time because of it last season, too.
LeBron might seem invincible, but he is 41 years old
Remember, he is 41, turning 42 in just a couple of months. As much time, money, and energy as he's invested in his body over the years, he can't escape Father Time completely, though he's done a pretty good job at it so far.
Philadelphia knew when it signed James that it would have to manage his regular-season minutes, not only because he is entering uncharted territory by playing a 24th season, but also because the goal is to have him at his best for the playoffs. He'll need nights off. That comes with his age and will also help him manage his arthritis and sciatica.
While his health is a concern, especially with the Sixers needing time to gel and build chemistry once the regular season starts, James has been a fairly durable player over the last few years. The 60 games he played last season were the fewest for him since 2022-23, when he played 55 games. He knows his body and what it takes to be in shape for a long season.
Signing LeBron wasn't a risk for the Sixers
James chose to sign a two-year, $8 million deal with Philadelphia, and he'll make around $3.8 million this season, a far cry from the $52.6 million he made in his final season with the Lakers. He did so because he believes that the Sixers give him the best chance to win a fifth championship.
Philadelphia is under pressure to do so, but not because it bet its future on James. That's not the case. Even at 41, he took a significant pay cut to be with the Sixers.
LeBron's health will factor into how far Philadelphia can go, but the Sixers aren't banking solely on him to get them back to where they've tried for decades to return. That's a large chunk of why his decision to sign with the team was so special. He was the cherry on top of an already solid offseason.
So, yes, it's normal to be concerned about the health issues he's been dealing with, but there's no reason to panic, at least not yet.
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