The Lakers’ star says the MCL sprain likely would have caused him to miss the rest of the first-round series had the Lakers defeated Minnesota in Game 5.

The Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the 2025 playoffs in five games. LeBron James averaged 25.4 points, 9.0 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.8 blocks in the series. Unfortunately, he suffered a knee injury in Game 5 after Donte DiVincenzo crashed into him.

In the aftermath of a disappointing Lakers season, LeBron James is taking this summer to rest and recover. In a recent chat with his co-host, Steve Nash, on the 'Mind the Game' podcast, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar confirmed his summer plans and revealed where he's at regarding conversations about his retirement.