LeBron James will sit out the rest of the season, ending his first season with the Los Angeles Lakers. With the playoffs out of reach, the Lakers said Saturday that holding James out would allow his groin to heal.
“This decision will allow his groin to fully heal, and is best for the future success of both LeBron and the Lakers,” the team said in a statement Saturday, adding he will join the team on its upcoming road trip.
James was hurt in a victory over Golden State on Christmas, the first significant injury of his career. The team went 6-11 without James, quickly falling from the fourth best record in the Western Conference. James returned on Jan. 31 but the Lakers were unable to recover.
It’s the first time James won’t play in the postseason since 2005, when he was in his second NBA season with Cleveland. He had appeared in the last eight NBA Finals. James averaged 27.4 points, 8.5 rebounds and 8.3 assists in 55 games.
