LeBron James Suffers Grade 2 MCL Sprain in Playoff Exit
LeBron James has a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his left knee, an MRI revealed Thursday. The Lakers star suffered the injury during Wednesday’s season-ending Game 5 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, a league source told ESPN.
The 40-year-old superstar would need 3-5 weeks to recover from this type of knee sprain.
James got hurt with 8:39 left in the fourth quarter when Wolves guard Donte DiVincenzo collided with his left knee in the lane, resulting in an offensive foul. LeBron fell to the court in pain and had to leave the game to get his knee checked by his longtime trainer, Mike Mancias.
Incredibly, he returned just over a minute later and finished the game.
The Lakers lost 103-96, ending their season in the first round for the second straight year.
Luka Doncic led the Lakers with 28 points and nine assists, while James added 22 points in what might have been his final game in purple and gold.
The injury would have ended James’ remarkable streak of 292 consecutive playoff appearances without missing a game due to injury—an NBA record. But with the Lakers eliminated, that streak technically remains intact.
Lakers’ Postseason Struggles Continue
The Lakers have only made it past the first round once in the five seasons since winning their 2020 championship in the Florida bubble.
"There’s always a mix of disappointment and gratitude," Lakers coach JJ Redick said after the elimination. "Certainly disappointed [because this result is] not something that I ever envisioned with this team, having to go in and talk to them after losing in the first round, but give Minnesota a lot of credit."
"They’re a really good basketball team, and I think our guys played hard enough and did all the right things. We tried to make it work with what we had, and came up a little short."
LeBron’s Future Uncertain
The bigger question now is whether James will return for a 23rd NBA season.
He has until June 29 to decide on a $52.6 million player option for next season with the Lakers.
"You don’t know what the [Lakers] roster will look like next year besides the guys that [are] locked into contracts," James said after Wednesday’s game. "S—t, I got a lot to think about myself. So I don’t know what the roster will look like. I don’t know where I stand right now."
James had another stellar season at age 40, averaging 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists while shooting 51.3% from the field in 70 games.
The 21-time All-Star’s playoff record now stands at 184-108.
Despite trading for Doncic in a midseason blockbuster that sent Anthony Davis to Dallas, the Lakers couldn’t advance in a competitive Western Conference. Now they face an offseason of uncertainty with their aging superstar’s future hanging in the balance.
