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(FILES) In this file photo taken on October 11, 2020, LeBron James (C) of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates with his teammates after winning the 2020 NBA Championship in Game Six at AdventHealth Arena in Lake Buena. Vista, Florida. Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP)
LeBron James ran the numbers in his head and came up with the “simple” answer: The Los Angeles Lakers can repeat as NBA champions.
James enters Lakers training camp surrounded by what he called “younger” teammates in a compact offseason with a to-do list that still includes the renewal of free agent All-Star Anthony Davis.
James, whose 36th birthday is December 30, is entering his third season in Los Angeles and his 18th overall looking to defend the NBA title and stay healthy. He played a career-low 34.6 minutes per game last season in 67 regular-season games. But James also played 21 playoff games (averaging 36.3 minutes) in the NBA bubble in Orlando and the NBA Finals ended just six weeks ago.
Those numbers are the backdrop to the question James was asked Tuesday: Can the Lakers repeat?
“We can. I mean, it’s that simple,” James said Tuesday on the “Road Trippin ‘” podcast, hosted by Richard Jefferson, Channing Frye and Allie Clifton. “We absolutely can. … First of all, it all starts with health. You have to be lucky. You have to be healthy. If we can stay healthy. “
James said “don’t worry about me in the preseason” and pointed to his age as the reason he’s unlikely to be on the court for the Lakers’ four-game preseason schedule.
It will be an interesting experiment in early chemistry for head coach Frank Vogel, but James believes the pieces in his place on the current roster are superior to the 2020 championship team. Key acquisitions include point guard Dennis Schroder, sixth man and wing. -Pivot Montrezl Harrell and former Raptors and Grizzlies center Marc Gasol.
“We got younger,” James said. “We have a 27-year-old point guard (Schroder). We got the (winner) award for 27 year old Sixth Man of the Year at Trezz. We got younger. We have Marc, who is a Defensive Player of the Year and his IQ, not only playing against him in the NBA, but also playing against him against Spain with the national team.
Davis opted out of his contract and is expected to rejoin the Lakers, who met with him Tuesday night, according to reports.
James hinted at skepticism about the NBA’s plan to start the 2020-21 season on Dec. 22, saying money is “the main reason” players are being asked to come back after a shortened offseason. The Golden State Warriors and Washington Wizards are already delayed in reporting to training camp due to positive tests for COVID-19.
“I’m very intrigued to see what the protocols will be,” James said. “There have been discussions, there have been conversations. They wanted to make sure we could start the season. Obviously for many different reasons. “
On Wednesday, James’ agent told reporters that the four-time MVP had signed a maximum two-year, $ 85 million contract extension to stay with the Lakers through the 2022-23 season.
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