LeBron questions preseason time out to Milwaukee

Earlier than the Lakers departed on a 1,750-mile flight from Los Angeles to the Midwest for Thursday’s exhibition in opposition to the Milwaukee Bucks, LeBron James took to social media to inquire the necessity of the time out.

“Can someone please demonstrate to me why we’re getting on a [plane emoji] and heading to Milwaukee for 1 pre-season game!?!?” James posted to X on Wednesday.

The Lakers will play a six-game preseason slate this month, and none of the games are at dwelling.

The group scheduled the games on the avenue as a result of of planned renovations to Crypto.com Enviornment. The constructing is finishing up the third section of its predominant renovation program since undergoing a rebrand from Staples Center to Crypto.com Enviornment in 2021.

Can someone please demonstrate to me why we’re getting on a ✈️ and heading to Milwaukee for 1 pre-season game!?!?

— LeBron James (@KingJames) October 9, 2024

The NHL’s Los Angeles Kings also will seemingly be displaced until Oct. 24, after they play their first routine-season dwelling game vs. the San Jose Sharks.

The final result has been the purple-and-gold going on a barnstorming tour ahead of the curtain rises on the NBA’s routine season on Oct. 22, when the Lakers host the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Lakers played their first two preseason games in Palm Barren station, California — just a few two-hour bus accelerate from their observe facility — this previous weekend.

Following the Milwaukee time out, the Lakers will play their closing three preseason games over a span of 4 days: vs. the Golden Affirm Warriors in Las Vegas (Tuesday); on the Phoenix Suns (Oct. 17); and on the Warriors (Oct. 18).

“Now not a wonderful preseason for us,” Lakers first-Twelve months coach JJ Redick stated Tuesday when requested relating to the shuttle schedule.

In previous years, the Lakers would most frequently play just a few preseason games at dwelling, a pair on the avenue in opposition to Western Conference opponents and some others in non-NBA cities in the broader L.A. station to present fans in areas similar to San Diego and Ontario, California, an opportunity to look the group in person.

While the NBA is on top of issues of striking collectively the 82-game schedule for all 30 teams, the league would not control the preseason schedule and permits every group to handle it on its have. There’s now not any minimal amount of preseason games required, however the most allowed is six.

The Bucks made the flight to Los Angeles final preseason as section of a 3-game avenue time out thru Memphis, L.A. and Oklahoma City and scheduled it so the group could presumably presumably exhaust virtually a full week in Southern California between the Grizzlies and Lakers games.

The Lakers are returning the prefer to play in Milwaukee this preseason, as section of a prearranged alternate-off as a dwelling-and-dwelling series, sources informed ESPN.

Lakers point guard D’Angelo Russell stated he understood how shuttle will seemingly be taxing on James and Anthony Davis after the pair spent the offseason competing internationally, however he added the huge majority of the roster is taking a behold ahead to getting encourage on the court — wherever that could be.

“I wager for guys handle AD and Bron who played all summer season in the Olympics, they’re going to be load managing those guys,” Russell stated this week. “But the relaxation of us are tranquil hungry. We want to head accessible and play every game and achieve the Laker uniform on and gaze how the crowd responds to whoever is offered on the ground. Secure some energy from that.

“So, for me, I behold ahead to having an correct time.”