Lakers’ superstar LeBron James suffered a foot tendon injury last season vs. the Dallas Mavericks, but despite multiple doctors telling him to get season-ending surgery, he was able to return during the regular season and into the playoffs. LeBron’s injury management — a huge credit to his trainer Mike Mancias — is second to none, but that management was more so out of necessity due to timeline than any preference.
Even when LeBron did return, there were clear signs that he wasn’t close to 100% — for example, his first step acceleration and burst weren’t there at previous levels, something you may have also noted after his high ankle sprain during the 2021 season.