NBA fans reacted to the unfortunate news of Los Angeles veteran superstar LeBron James being ruled out of a game due to injury again, shortly after he made his late debut for the 2025 season.
Over at social media platform X, NBA fans reacted to the news of LeBron James missing what could have been his matchup against the Pelicans, something fans have been looking forward to.
“Well, I guess we aren’t making an all-NBA team,” one fan said.
LeBron is OUT tonight vs. the Pelicans, per @mcten pic.twitter.com/rYHIbxK135
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) November 30, 2025
For one fan, however, James can rest for the regular season to have him in better shape for the playoffs.
“I mean, they don’t need him, it’s year 23,” the fan said. “Rest him against teams that are really bad, keep him fresh for playoffs.”
The Los Angeles Lakers announced Sunday that LeBron James would not play in their matchup with the New Orleans Pelicans as he continues to manage a foot injury, a status that was downgraded from questionable earlier in the day.
Lakers head coach JJ Redick said the organization plans to gradually ramp James back into heavier minutes and has interest, along with the player, in him appearing in back‑to‑back games as the season progresses, rather than forcing him into consecutive nights immediately.
“We’re going to build him up,” Redick said before the Pelicans game.
James missed the first 14 games of the 2025–26 season before making his debut earlier in November against the Utah Jazz, then logged four straight appearances prior to Sunday’s scratch.
The Lakers emphasized there is no rush to return James to back‑to‑back duty, with a tougher slate looming that could see him available for more significant matchups.
Currently, LeBron James averages 16.5 points per game, 5.0 rebounds, and 8.3 assists.
NBA Fans Believe the Lakers No Longer Need LeBron James: “Rest Now, Brother”
Over at X, NBA fans shared their honest insight on whether the Los Angeles Lakers still need LeBron James as a regular on-court presence or not. For some fans, younger superstars like Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves may already have the roster secured.
“Rest now, brother,” one fan said. “Luka and AR have the watch. And we’ll see you at Valhalla.”
Rest now, brother. Luka and AR have the watch. And we’ll see you at Valhalla pic.twitter.com/2Oj4gBdUYK
— mike2mazza (@mike2mazza) November 30, 2025
“Finally, a Lakers roster doesn’t need him for the regular season,” another fan added.
Another fan, meanwhile, expressed their disappointment over the announcement, citing this as the reason why they don’t buy tickets ahead.
“This is why I don’t buy NBA tickets months in advance,” the fan said.
As the Lakers go through the remaining ot the regular season, NBA fans are looking forward to how LeBron James will close his 23rd season in the league.
For more sports content:
Follow us @HardwoodHeroics for your NBA and college basketball reading fix. You can reach out to Dan Agulto through email at papadanph@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest sports news, click here!
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.
