From getting everyone with a fake retirement tease to sparking debates over his latest comments, LeBron James has kept the NBA fans busy even before the season tips off.
Now approaching 41, LeBron still plays at a level most stars can only dream of — but even the King knows his body can’t take the same pounding forever. During the relaunch of his “Mind The Game” podcast, co-host Steve Nash suggested that James no longer needs to start the season at full throttle, especially with Luka Doncic joining their squad.
James agreed, saying teammates like Doncic, Austin Reaves, Marcus Smart, and Deandre Ayton can carry the early load while he ramps up.
“Me being 40, on the brink of 41, I don’t have to rush myself to get to 100%… I’m happy where I am right now,” said James.
That mindset didn’t sit well with some fans, who felt his comments downplayed the regular season.
“Spoken like a true load-managing stat padder,” one fan wrote.
Spoken like a true load-managing stat padder.
— Mike Jonker (@mike_jonker) October 8, 2025
“Imagine getting paid $50M and saying there’s no urgency to be ready to do your job when it starts.”
“When the Western Conference standings are decided by a couple of games every year, yes, there is urgency… Trade LeBron.”
James is currently nursing a glute injury, keeping him out of the Lakers’ preseason games. Per Shams Charania, the Lakers expect him back for opening night on October 21 against Golden State.
“I respect the commitment to poor decisions”: NBA fans troll ‘duped’ Lakers fan for filing a lawsuit against LeBron James
LeBron’s fake “Decision 2.0” announcement also had real-life consequences. After ticket prices for the Lakers’ final home game against Utah spiked to over $445, one fan — believing it was LeBron’s farewell — bought in, only to learn the reveal was a Hennessy VSOP ad.
According to TMZ, the fan is suing LeBron for $856 in damages, claiming the ticket lost its value.
NBA fans were quick to mock the move.
“Buying Lakers tickets because of an alcohol ad… I respect the commitment to poor decisions.”
No got the tickets wasting money because of the second decision teaser that happened to be a alcohol ad 😭
— Mar (@Spidamar__) October 9, 2025
“LeBron should do the funniest thing ever and send him $800 worth of Hennessy.”
The Lakers have yet to comment on the lawsuit — and LeBron, as always, seems unfazed.
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Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
