LeBron James is managing chronic arthritis in his left foot alongside the back issues that disrupted his previous campaign, ESPN reported during a week spent inside the Philadelphia 76ers training camp. The disclosure arrives as the league’s all-time leading scorer prepares to turn 42 in December and enters his 24th NBA season, his first with Philadelphia after signing a one-year deal with a player option for a second year.
James Manages Foot and Back Issues Before Practice
ESPN's observations during Nick Nurse's training camp revealed that James is operating below full physical capacity while receiving maintenance for his left foot and back. Last season with the Los Angeles Lakers, a sciatic nerve issue forced James to miss the opening month of competition. To mitigate physical stress, James commutes to the 76ers practice facility from New York via a 40-minute helicopter ride, arriving at 7:45 a.m. for morning workouts before team sessions begin at 11:00 a.m. Those early hours are dedicated to targeted strengthening routines and stretching designed to stabilize his back and lower joints.
76ers Open Preseason Against New York
The 76ers open their preseason schedule against the defending champion New York at home, providing an immediate test of James’s current fitness and potential minute restrictions under Nurse. Philadelphia’s exhibition slate continues with a matchup against Brooklyn followed by two games against Boston, before the regular-season opener on October 20 against New York at Madison Square Garden.
Longevity Metrics From the Previous Season
Last year with the Lakers, James appeared in 60 of 82 regular-season games and averaged 20.9 points per contest, establishing production levels unprecedented for a player at his stage of a career. Alongside new teammates Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Jaylen Brown, James enters the upcoming campaign looking to sustain that impact despite documented joint and nerve management.
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