LeBron James and Anthony Davis are set to take the court during the Los Angeles Lakers’ first two preseason games this weekend, quickly returning to action after a summer filled with achievements, including an Olympic gold medal.
James and Davis might participate in one or both matchups, as indicated by new head coach JJ Redick on Thursday, just before the team traveled to the Coachella Valley. The Lakers will compete against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday and the Phoenix Suns on Sunday in Palm Desert, California.
“They will play this weekend, but we’re still discussing minutes and rotations for everyone,” Redick noted after the Lakers’ third training camp practice.
This weekend could mark a historic moment as James may share the court at Acrisure Arena with his eldest son, Bronny James, who was drafted by the Lakers in the second round. No father and son have ever played in the NBA simultaneously, let alone as teammates.
Both LeBron and Bronny are looking forward to this unique opportunity, and the competitive spirit of the James family is already evident in training camp, much to the excitement of their teammates.
“It’s amazing to witness this in practice,” Davis remarked on Wednesday. “Bronny made a three-pointer over LeBron, and everyone was hyping him up. Then LeBron came down and powered through for a layup. … Even though they weren’t directly matched up, the rivalry is palpable, and that’s what we love to see.”
Bronny, who will celebrate his 20th birthday on Sunday, is anticipated to receive substantial playing time during the preseason before spending a significant portion of the regular season with the South Bay Lakers in the G League.
Both LeBron and Davis were key members of the U.S. team that secured gold at the Paris Olympics. Following the tournament, LeBron took an extended vacation in Europe, but he returned to training last month, gearing up for his 22nd NBA season, which ties him with Vince Carter for the longest career in league history.
Although James was occupied with the U.S. team and didn’t have extensive discussions with Redick, his former podcast partner, immediately after Redick assumed the coaching role in late June, both players have engaged frequently with Redick this week regarding their strategies and preparations for the upcoming season.
“We exchanged random texts about it, but now I’m fully involved,” James shared on Tuesday.
Davis appears to be in excellent health this fall after participating in a career-high 76 games last season.
Due to renovations at their downtown arena, the Lakers will play their entire preseason schedule away from Los Angeles, with their regular season opener at home against the Timberwolves scheduled for October 22.
