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After the Los Angeles Lakers were eliminated from the postseason in a shocking five-game defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves, reports surfaced revealing that LeBron James had suffered an MCL sprain in his left knee.
However, not everyone is buying the injury story, with analyst Skip Bayless suggesting that the timing of the revelation is more about making excuses for another playoff failure.
Bayless questions the injury narrative
In his latest podcast, Bayless was quick to dismiss the idea that LeBron's knee injury was the reason behind the Lakers' early playoff exit. According to Bayless, the injury claim is simply a way to cover up for the team's disappointing performance.
"Another LeBron playoff flameout," Bayless stated.
"Followed by another leaked and planted excuse for said flameout. He and his inner circle just did it again. Rich Paul, you are the all-time greatest at excuse planting with key media . Never seen anything quite like this."
The injury was reportedly sustained during the fourth quarter of the Lakers' Game 5 loss, with LeBron's recovery timeline ranging from three to five weeks. While Bayless acknowledges the injury, he remains skeptical, believing that it is merely a convenient explanation for the Lakers' playoff struggles.
As LeBron James reaches the 40-year mark in his career, rumors about his potential retirement continue to swirl, especially after his comments following the Lakers' postseason exit. James indicated that he would sit down with his family and system to discuss his future but refrained from offering any concrete timeline on his career.
"I don't have an answer to that," James said.
"Something I'll sit down with my family, my wife, and my group and kind of just talk through it and see what happens."
Despite these comments, Bayless is unconvinced that LeBron will retire anytime soon. Bayless believes that when the time does come, LeBron will announce it well in advance, planning a farewell tour similar to Kobe Bryant's retirement celebration.
Even with the speculation surrounding LeBron's future, Bayless feels that retirement is still far off. LeBron has a $52.6 million player option for the 2024-2025 season, which makes it unlikely that he'll walk away from that kind of money or the opportunity to play alongside Luka Doncic. The chance to build a competitive roster around Doncic and extend his career for at least one more season makes retirement seem improbable.
A farewell tour, Bayless suggests, is the more likely scenario. LeBron has done enough to earn a grand exit, and Bayless believes he will plan it out with a season dedicated to celebrating his incredible legacy.