EL SEGUNDO — I don’t know exactly what tone you read this summer’s comments by Rich Paul on LeBron James’ behalf, after he opted into the final, $52.6 million year of his contract with the Lakers: “He knows the Lakers are building for the future … but he values a realistic chance of winning it all.”
But I know, in your head, that sounded different than how James actually sounded Monday at the Lakers’ preseason media day, ahead of the season opener on Oct. 21 against the Golden State Warriors.
Because when he took the mic on Monday – No. 2 in the batting order behind Luka Doncic – there was nothing about James that gave off tension about his status in the organization.
On the contrary. The man was buoyant. Bronny’s dad had jokes. He was yapping like he’d just had a double espresso, like he was pumped to be going through picture day with his friends again.
“Just being super-appreciative of the fact that I can come up here and do another media day and talk to you guys and do all the stuff around here,” James said. “Just excited about the journey and whatever this year has in store for me.”
The total tenor of the day at UCLA Health Training Center was upbeat, with Luka Doncic interrupting Rui Hachimura, mid-answer, from the wings: “Rui!” and Hachimura responding in kind: “Hi Luka! My captain!” With Austin Reaves shooing Hachimura off-stage and playfully wrestling the mic away.
It was spirited, save for the revenge on the minds of new guys Marcus Smart (“people forget what I can do and what I can bring to the table”) and Deandre Ayton (“you’re going to get Angry Ayton!”).
On behalf of the returning cast, Reaves also had a bit of a bone to pick: “The people who say it can’t work, I believe at one point last year, when we were all playing together with the roster we had, everybody was really high on us and everybody thought we had an opportunity to win a championship.”
That was, of course, before they were flattened in five games in their first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
But that was before Luka and the rest of the Lakers got themselves in real good shape this offseason. Before Doncic – who this summer signed a three-year, $165 million extension and celebrated with Lakers’ brass at a Backstreet Boys concert in Las Vegas – had settled in as a Laker.
It was also before he and James had been able to practice together much at all.
And before they picked up Smart, Ayton and Jake LaRavia in free agency, giving their new additions assignments to disrupt and defend, to catch lobs and rebound and to knock down 3s and space the floor.
And before everyone showed up to work Monday with fresh haircuts and positive attitudes – no one more so than James, always the “biggest kid in the room,” Reaves said.
“He has a great time, and you’ve got to appreciate that for somebody that’s been going at it for so long – 23 years,” Reaves said. “At some point, you feel like the joy might not be there, but every time you see him it reassures you he’s here for one thing and one thing only – that’s to win.”
The 2020 Lakers team that won the championship in the Orlando Bubble was a pretty loose and fun-loving bunch too; remember how they would toss the basketball around like a football pregame? Seemed to work for them.
Seems usually to work for James, too, who remains a top-10 player with his 41st birthday approaching on Dec. 30.
About that: “For me, age is just a number – but it is a reality too,” said James, who finished his 22nd season averaging 24.4 points, 8.2 assists and 7.8 rebounds and earning recognition as a member of the the All-NBA second team while also finishing sixth in MVP voting.
“You look at the history of the game, there’s not been many guys at my age or especially going into Year 23 that’s been able to play at a level like that,” James said.
That takes a lot of work. It takes attention to details, to diet and sleep and treatment and training. It takes an impressive determination to add something new to his game every summer, even this one, going into Year 23. He focused, he said, on catch-and-shoots, knowing he won’t have the ball in his hands as much. (And, yes, also on his golf swing.)
But all that takes something too: Love. A desire to keep riding the roller coaster of an NBA season. Enthusiasm like what was on display Monday.
“The thing that’s still pushing me is the love of the game is still high,” James said. “The love of the process is still higher, and so that’s what continues to push me to play this game. It’s really that simple.
“Training and working on my body and trying to get my body as close to 100% as possible every year, it’s something that’s, like, it’s a beautiful thing for me.”