LeBron James continues to produce at an elite level, but the Los Angeles Lakers star made it clear that age is now an unavoidable factor in how his season will be managed.
The Lakers picked up their third straight win (and 23rd of the season) on Tuesday, defeating the New Orleans Pelicans 111-103. James led the way with 30 points on 10-of-19 shooting, adding eight rebounds, eight assists, two steals and a block.
However, with the Lakers set to face Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday in the second game of a back-to-back, James’ availability is uncertain.
LeBron James Speaks on His Health Status for NBA Season
James, who turned 41 on Dec. 30 and is currently the oldest active player in the NBA, said his status for Wednesday is “to be determined.” He also made it clear that this will be the approach for the rest of the season when it comes to back-to-back games.
“Every back-to-back for the rest of the season is TBD,” James said, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “I am 41, I got the most minutes in NBA history … bank it right now.”
The cautious approach isn’t new. James has yet to play in a back-to-back this season, with his last two absences both coming in those situations. He also missed the first 14 games of the 2025-26 campaign while dealing with sciatica.
Given that history, there is a strong chance James will sit out Wednesday for rest. The Lakers still have two more back-to-back sets later this month on Jan. 12-13 and Jan. 17-19.
With Tuesday’s win, Los Angeles improved to 23-11 and moved within one game of San Antonio for the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. The Spurs are coming off a 106-105 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday, their second straight defeat.
