As LeBron James approaches his historic 23rd NBA season, Lakers head coach JJ Redick has laid out a surprising plan for his playing time.

Despite James turning 41 in December and returning from a sciatica injury that sidelined him early in the season, Redick plans to play LeBron roughly 35 minutes per game. This projection aligns closely with LeBron's average minutes per game from last season, indicating the team’s trust in his ability to contribute heavily on the court. 

Redick’s approach suggests they view LeBron as a key primary ballhandler and offensive catalyst, emphasizing the importance of managing his minutes carefully to sustain his health throughout the demanding season.​

Supporting Cast and Depth Considerations

The Lakers have been performing well without LeBron, with a 10-4 record led by Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, who are averaging over 62 combined points per game.

Redick’s confidence in the supporting cast, including Deandre Ayton's solid center play and an improved rotation of wings and forwards like Rui Hachimura and Marcus Smart, underpins the plan to keep LeBron on the court for substantial minutes. This depth is key to balancing the load off LeBron and giving him space to ramp up post-injury.

The Lakers’ mixture of youth and veteran presence seeks to maintain competitiveness while preserving LeBron's conditioning for what is likely his final playoff push.​

Balancing Star Minutes and Team Dynamics

A major challenge for Redick will be to balance court time among LeBron, Dončić, and Reaves, who all thrive with substantial ball possession.

Currently, Dončić and Reaves average over 36 minutes per game, numbers Redick hopes to reduce with LeBron's return. The coach has experimented with staggered lineups to keep consistent playmakers on the floor without overloading any one group simultaneously.

LeBron’s presence will also free Dončić and Reaves to focus more on off-ball roles and selective playmaking, lessening their heavy workload and potentially boosting team efficiency on both ends.