When the Los Angeles Lakers fell short in the NBA Playoffs for the third consecutive season, fans thought nothing worse could happen. But wait, there’s more, and LeBron James fans won’t be anywhere near happy with it.
According to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, LeBron James suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his left knee during the fourth quarter of Game 5 against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Story filed to https://t.co/oAsD1rYqjW: LeBron James suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his left knee from his collision with Donte DiVincenzo in Wednesday’s Game 5, a league source told ESPN. The injury entails a 3-5 week recovery timeline.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) May 2, 2025
This injury occurred with 8:39 remaining in the game when he collided with Wolves guard Donte DiVincenzo, who was called for an offensive foul while setting a moving screen.
Following the injury, James briefly left the game to have his knee assessed by the team's athletic trainer, Mike Mancias, but he ultimately returned to play the remainder of the match.
Despite the efforts, the game ended in a 103-96 loss for the Lakers, concluding their playoff run.
An MRI conducted the following day confirmed the injury, revealing that it entails a recommended recovery timeline of three to five weeks. Had the Lakers managed to advance to Game 6, James's participation would have been in serious doubt.
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However, the MCL sprain effectively ended his record streak of 292 consecutive playoff appearances without missing one due to injury.
The Lakers are heading towards a surprisingly long offseason after their early playoff exit. It’s a tough pill to swallow, and now the team is under some serious pressure to shake things up and build a contender around the incredible Luka Doncic.
One of the biggest questions hanging over the organization right now is what will happen with superstar LeBron James and his contract.
At 40 years old, LeBron has a player option worth about $52 million for the 2025-26 season. Last year, he took a pay cut to help the Lakers stay under the salary cap and keep some flexibility in their roster.
But this time around, he’s not expected to do the same. Reports from Jovan Buha and Sam Amick of The Athletic indicate he’s more focused on negotiating a new deal rather than picking up his player option.
While there was some chatter about him possibly taking another discount, it doesn’t seem likely this time. After all, the free agents available in 2025 aren’t as enticing as those from last year.
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