Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James offered a response to the NBA’s scheduled Dec. 22 start by simply showing an ESPN graphic comparing how the 2020-21 campaign will get going after the shortest offseason in major sports history.
The Lakers won the NBA championship on Oct. 11 and will be back in training camp in just a matter of weeks. That grind could prove to be deadly to their chances of defending their title, but the scheduling is required for the season to end prior to next summer’s rescheduled Summer Olympics.
James will turn 36 on Dec. 30, though his rigorous workouts over the years have allowed him to continue delivering peak performances.
The quick turnaround doesn’t offer James and his teammates much opportunity to enjoy their title. However, squeezing a 72-game regular season and playoffs into roughly a six-month period means such sacrifices are required.
One of the chief reasons why the NBA is seeking to have as close to a full regular season as possible is because of the added revenues that can be derived for both the league and NBA players.
