LeBron James

The Los Angeles Lakers will be without stars LeBron James (ankle) and Anthony Davis (illness) for Wednesday's game against the Toronto Raptors, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

Patrick Beverley (right knee soreness) is also out.

Darvin Ham says LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Patrick Beverley are all day-to-day. Says the back-to-back factored in to James not playing tonight.

— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) December 7, 2022

James has been bothered by an ankle injury since Friday, and while he has played in the past two games, he will sit out the second contest of a back-to-back. Davis, meanwhile, left Tuesday's 116-102 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers with an illness after logging just eight minutes.

Having to play without James and Davis will be a huge blow to a Los Angeles squad that has won eight of its last 11 games.

In 17 games this season, James has averaged 25.8 points, 9.1 rebounds and 6.4 assists despite battling injuries early this season.

Davis has stepped up in a major way during the four-time NBA champion's periodic absences, putting up MVP-caliber numbers that have allowed him to rejoin the conversation among the game's best players.

Davis has averaged 27.3 points and 12.3 rebounds in 21 appearances this season.

After an ugly start to the 2022-23 season, the Lakers sit at 10-13. While they still have some work to do to get back into the playoff picture, they had finally started to gain some momentum in recent weeks.

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James discussed his appreciation for the Cavaliers and the city of Cleveland following a 116-102 loss to the Cavs on Tuesday at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

"It's always love coming back here," James told reporters. "The memories that I have here will never be forgotten."

The Cavaliers are essentially the hometown team of James, who is an Akron, Ohio, native. They made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 NBA draft out of high school, and he met and exceeded all of the massive expectations placed on him.

LeBron's first run in Cleveland lasted for seven seasons from 2003 to 2010 before he memorably signed with the Miami Heat in free agency. James went to four straight NBA Finals with the Heat and won the first two championships of his career.

After reaching the NBA Finals once and winning no titles during his first run in Cleveland, James had some unfinished business, so he returned to the Cavs in 2014.

James' second stint in Cleveland yielded the greatest time period in Cavaliers history, as they went to four consecutive NBA Finals and won their first and only championship in 2016.

LeBron left Cleveland again in 2018 when he signed with the Lakers, and while he has experienced some of the greatest struggles of his career in L.A., he also led the Lakers to a championship in 2020, marking the fourth title of his illustrious career.

James is one of the greatest players of all time with 18 All-Star selections, four NBA MVP awards and four NBA Finals MVP awards, and his time with the Cavaliers will perhaps be the defining period of his career.

LeBron is still playing at a high level at the age of 37, but the Lakers have scuffled overall this season with a record of 10-13 after missing the playoffs in 2021-22.

As for the Cavs, they are a team on the rise with a 16-9 record, thanks largely to the offseason acquisition of All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz.

LeBron James was among the many impressed by Donovan Mitchell in the Cleveland Cavaliers' 116-102 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

"He's Mitchell," James told reporters after the game. "He's a special kid."

The story entering the game was LeBron's return to Cleveland, where he spent 11 of his 20 NBA seasons, but Mitchell stole the show with 43 points on 17-of-27 shooting, adding six rebounds, five assists and four steals.

Mitchell has thrived in his first season with the Cavaliers, ranking seventh in the NBA with an average of 29 points per game while emerging as a legitimate MVP candidate. On one of the biggest stages of the year, he scored a season-high and left his opponent in awe.

James scored 21 points with 17 rebounds in the loss, although he couldn't overcome Anthony Davis missing most of the game because of an illness.

Anthony Davis' MVP-level play made it easy to overlook the other positives in the Los Angeles Lakers' recent run, but Tuesday's 116-102 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers was a reminder not to overthink.

None of the other developments during L.A.'s recently concluded 8-2 surge matter if Davis isn't on the floor and wrecking shop to a historic degree.

AD left Tuesday night's loss with flu-like symptoms in the first quarter and didn't return. Though his teammates scrapped and provided the same support that'd been so quietly helpful during Davis' incendiary stretch, it only served to postpone the inevitable, keeping the competition lively until, appropriately, the Cavs' own transcendent star, Donovan Mitchell, subdued it. He finished with a game-high 43 points, including 17 in a fourth quarter punctuated by shots like this.

Spida taking OVER 🔥 pic.twitter.com/JZ2TL7knyH

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) December 7, 2022

The Lakers had no answer, not even from James, who came in with a 17-2 record against his former team and only one loss at Cleveland in his previous nine visits.

It's certainly no grand revelation to say Davis is singularly important to the Lakers' success. That link exists between every team and its best players. It was still illuminating to see Los Angeles get many of the same supporting performances from its much-maligned role players that had quietly buttressed the best stretch of AD's career (our opinion; not his) only to fall short.

In L.A.'s 10 games before Tuesday's loss, Austin Reaves averaged 13.4 points on 60.0 percent shooting from the field and 46.7 percent shooting from deep. Lonnie Walker IV was even more prolific, racking up 17.8 points on a 51.3/46.9/95.5 shooting split. Those two had largely answered questions about the team's shooting and wing play.

Even Russell Westbrook had been helpful. Entering Tuesday night, his worst plus-minus figure across his last nine games was a minus-2, and the Lakers had been break-even or better in Russ' minutes six times during that stretch. For context, Westbrook posted a positive plus-minus figure just twice in his first dozen contests.

James was also stellar in support of Davis during the Lakers' 8-2 run, averaging 28.2 points in the six games he played.

None of that got any attention with AD going full create-a-player, racking up five straight games of at least 25 points and 15 boards to kick things off, beating the Milwaukee Bucks on the road with a cool 44 points and 10 rebounds, pile-driving the Washington Wizards with 55 points on 22-of-30 shooting, stopping a runaway train filled with orphans on his off day and performing various other acts of valor.

That last thing probably didn't happen, but one could argue that dragging the Lakers out of the rubble of their seemingly imploded season comes pretty close in terms of improbable heroism.

That's why what happened against Cleveland matters so much. The Lakers got lots of similarly impressive work from guys way down the call sheet and still couldn't compete.

Thomas Bryant hustled like he was fighting for a job and probably earned one, even if it may only be the modest position of unquestioned backup center ahead of Wenyen Gabriel. He totaled a season-high 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting and was the only player bringing any semblance of interior presence against a Cavs team that amassed 70 paint points.

TB vs Everybody pic.twitter.com/ClU7RvCUe9

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) December 7, 2022

Westbrook and Dennis Schroder both scored 16 points on matching 6-of-13 shooting nights, with the latter scoring a quick seven points after halftime to trim Cleveland's lead from eight to one in just under two minutes.

James also did what he could when pressed into duty down low against Cleveland's overwhelming length. Though he was visibly frustrated with teammates on occasion, he still managed 21 points and a season-high 17 rebounds in 36 minutes, bringing a level of competitive intensity you don't typically expect from a 37-year-old who knows energy conservation is just a part of his reality now.

James dove to the floor more than once to collect a loose ball and save a possession, and his waning mobility didn't keep him from battling inside.

LeBron James just fought for a rebound in between Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley and kept it alive ling enough for the Lakers to get possession and get Lonnie Walker a three-point play.

— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) December 7, 2022

Davis was sick, not injured. That's the good news, especially for a player who had only missed two games prior to Tuesday night, putting the lie (so far) to criticism of his durability. The result in his absence should still have a significant impact on his team's thinking.

Prior to the loss against Cleveland, it might have been reasonable for the Lakers' front office to conclude the team's recent success was about more than a superstar going on a three-week heater against mostly bad competition. The reserves and non-AD starters were making a real difference.

With this glaring example of how little the "other guys" matter when "the guy" isn't involved, the L.A. brass may have to think even harder about pursuing one of the many trade paths that have been topics of discussion all season.

Reasonable minds can disagree about whether what Davis and the rest of the Lakers have done over the last dozen or so games is enough to rationalize those hypothetical future-mortgaging deals. Maybe such drastic measures are justifiable to maximize the chances of success for the AD-LeBron pairing in the short term. Maybe they're not.

The only certainty is that, despite the Lakers getting vastly improved play from sources other than Davis, he is still the sole determinant of his team's success. That makes the Lakers profoundly fragile.

Maybe that's not the worst thing in the world. Fragility applies to things you're concerned about breaking.

For a Lakers team many would have happily smashed into a thousand pieces not so long ago, the renewed belief that any of this is worth preserving must count for something.

---

Stats courtesy of NBA.com, Basketball Reference and Cleaning the Glass. Accurate through Dec. 6. Salary info via Spotrac.

Grant Hughes covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter (@gt_hughes), and subscribe to the Hardwood Knocks podcast, where he appears with Bleacher Report's Dan Favale.

For Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green, LeBron James' 2016 NBA Finals triumph tipped the scales in his favor in the NBA GOAT conversation.

On UNINTERRUPTED's Throwing Bones, Green made the point that James "was the best player in the NBA by his third season" and maintained that level almost every year since. He added that Jordan "didn't beat the greatest team ever assembled," seemingly a reference to the Cleveland Cavaliers taking down the 73-win Warriors in 2016.

Draymond says it’s LeBron over Michael Jordan 👁️

(via @uninterrupted) pic.twitter.com/gPGeVriOZb

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 5, 2022

While Jordan would probably be the prevailing pick for the greatest ever, the 2016 Finals was probably the one moment more than any other that James seriously challenged MJ for the title.

According to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, Jordan was sold on making The Last Dance on the same day the Cavs had their championship parade. Maybe it's purely a coincidence, but you get the sense His Airness sensed the implications of LeBron's third title and saw The Last Dance as his rebuttal.

But Green's comments underline how there will almost certainly never be a consensus regarding the NBA's GOAT.

The Los Angeles Lakers (10-12) have won eight of their last 10 games, Anthony Davis has entered the NBA's Most Valuable Player conversation, and a team that was considered a punchline a few weeks ago is finally being taken seriously.

But with Davis back playing like "Bubble AD" after a signature win against the 16-6 Milwaukee Bucks on Friday and a 55-point explosion on Sunday against the Washington Wizards, it's now time for the Lakers front office to take this team's immediate future seriously.

Up until recently, the front office was close to letting this year's Lakers die on the vine. Rather than ship out Russell Westbrook and one or both of their available future first-round picks (2027 and 2029) to bolster a lost cause, the Lakers seemed resigned to waiting to shop for bigger upgrades around the 2023 draft and free agency. Los Angeles has preserved roughly $30-35 million in cap space for this upcoming summer.

But this recent surge makes a trade more likely than the alternative. Going for it this season is more of an option with Davis playing this well, picks and future cap space be damned.

Rob Pelinka on the Lakers potentially trading their picks: “Let me be abundantly clear … (LeBron) committed to our organization, we’re going to commit to him - including those picks - to see him to the finish line.” He emphasizes that they only get one shot to trade the picks.

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) September 26, 2022

It's difficult to pinpoint precisely when Davis got past the back injury that ailed him early in the season, but he went from averaging 23.8 points and 10.6 rebounds in October to 27.2 points and 13.5 rebounds in November. That resurgence is carrying the Lakers even though LeBron James is not playing up to his usual standards.

Davis' Play at Center Should Impact Trade Board

Davis has been clear throughout his career that he prefers to play power forward. When the Lakers won the title in 2019-20, they had JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard in their rotation. Davis would shift to center in critical moments, especially in the playoffs, but it was a luxury.

It begs the question: If Davis is doing this much damage at center this season, why mess with what's working? Why chase players like Myles Turner, Jakob Poeltl or even Nikola Vucevic if it's only going to hamper your best player?

Davis doesn't need to be banging with bruisers such as Steven Adams every night. The Lakers have Thomas Bryant, Wenyen Gabriel or Damian Jones to ease that burden.

The league has gotten smaller, and Davis is a nuisance for the remaining true bigs in the NBA. While there's an impulse to downsize Davis' position to protect his body, most of his injuries have come from awkward falls or stepping on another player's foot. Does playing power forward instead of center really protect him from that kind of random ailment?

The Westbrook Reality

The Lakers have shopped Russell Westbrook since well before last year's trade deadline. But it isn't a certainty that he's on the way out of L.A. Westbrook may not fit perfectly alongside James, but he's hungrily feeding Davis assists at a very high clip.

The core dilemma is that while Westbrook may work as a sixth man during the regular season, it won't translate to the playoffs when bench play is typically minimized. Opponents tend to ignore him when he's off the ball, impinging on the space James and Davis need to operate.

If the Lakers trade Westbrook, they need to bring back a dynamic playmaker who will take some of that burden off James and ensure Davis continues to get high-percentage opportunities. That's why they acquired Westbrook from the Wizards in the first place, but they misjudged his fit alongside James. And it's why they chased Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving throughout the offseason.

Whether Irving is the answer is debatable. But how many NBA teams are eager to give up high-level playmakers?

If Brooklyn doesn't make Irving available, would a non-shooter like Ben Simmons—who ran point for the Philadelphia 76ers—make sense for L.A., given his ties to Klutch Sports?

It may take a few months to see if the Toronto Raptors (12-11) decide to change course and move core pieces like Fred VanVleet, who can opt out of his contract after the season. Do the Chicago Bulls (9-14) move DeMar DeRozan, who averaged 6.9 assists per game in 2020-21 with the San Antonio Spurs?

The Lakers seriously considered acquiring DeRozan last summer before they traded Westbrook, but his mid-range-heavy game and unreliable three-point shot might not mesh well with James and Davis.

When the Charlotte Hornets (7-16) made a pitch to the Utah Jazz for Donovan Mitchell during the offseason, the Lakers discussed a multi-team deal that would have brought Terry Rozier to L.A. Mitchell instead ended up with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Rozier is averaging a career-high 5.7 assists per game this season on the Hornets, but his shooting has fallen off a cliff (29.6 percent from three). Would he find his stroke alongside better players than Charlotte has on its young roster?

Might the Miami Heat send Kyle Lowry (and probably Duncan Robinson) to the Lakers for Westbrook and additional compensation? Would the Lakers consider a reunion with Minnesota Timberwolves guard D'Angelo Russell?

None of those scenarios are likely. Westbrook may not work in the playoffs, but the list of players who can adequately replace his shot creation is short.

What Else Do the Lakers Need?

The Lakers have three starters locked in with Lonnie Walker IV, James and Davis. They have open spots for a starting point guard and a wing who can defend, shoot and score. Jerami Grant (undoubtedly unavailable from the Portland Trail Blazers) is the model of what they could use most.

If Westbrook stays in L.A. past the trade deadline, Dennis Schröder will probably continue to start at the point. If not, Schröder would likely back up whomever the Lakers acquire to replace Westbrook. Austin Reaves has been a key rotation member as well, and Troy Brown Jr., Gabriel and Bryant round out the rotation. Another backup center wouldn't hurt, but that's a lower priority.

The Lakers can trade anyone on the roster except for James because of his recent extension. The expendable pieces include Patrick Beverley ($13 million), Kendrick Nunn ($5.3 million), Damian Jones ($2.3 million) and Juan Toscano-Anderson ($1.8 million). All but Jones (who has a player option of $2.6 million for 2023-24) are on expiring contracts.

The Lakers also have their two future first-round picks, several second-rounders, rookie Max Christie (owed $2.7 million through next season) and up to $6.4 million in cash to trade, as the potential outgoing players may not have significant on-court value.

Beverley and Nunn together can bring back $22.9 million in salary. The Lakers could take back up to $29.4 million if they packaged Beverley and Nunn with Jones, Toscano-Anderson and Christie. Add in Westbrook, and the range increases to $81.7-88.2 million. A blockbuster of that size is possible, but roster space and an increased luxury-tax bill could be impediments.

The list of available trade targets isn't yet clear, as the other 29 teams are currently trying to figure out where they stand. The trade market starts to heat up after December 15, which is when a majority of recently signed free agents can be traded. The Lakers may need a team or two to quit on the season if they want high-quality players in return, but that may only happen closer to the February 9 trade deadline.

Potential targets could include:

• Bojan Bogdanović and Alec Burks (Detroit Pistons)

• Mo Bamba, Gary Harris and Terrence Ross (Orlando Magic)
• Buddy Hield (Indiana Pacers)
  

• Cam Reddish and Evan Fournier (New York Knicks)

• Jae Crowder (Phoenix Suns)

• Gary Trent Jr., OG Anunoby and Chris Boucher (Toronto Raptors)

• Kyle Kuzma (Washington Wizards)

• Kelly Oubre Jr. and Mason Plumlee (Hornets)

• Eric Gordon and KJ Martin (Houston Rockets)

• Bogdan Bogdanović and John Collins (Atlanta Hawks)

• Seth Curry (Nets)

• Alex Caruso (Bulls)

• Matisse Thybulle (76ers)

• Cedi Osman (Cavaliers)

Some are already buzzing as available in NBA circles, but many are not. Specifically, the Bulls, Hawks, Raptors and Wizards are still focused on making a playoff push.

But the Lakers need to be careful in how they proceed. As general manager Rob Pelinka stressed on media day, the team won't get a do-over on trading its available first-round picks. He could split them up into separate deals, possibly seeing what he can get for Beverley and Nunn before making the more delicate decision on Westbrook.

The Lakers' goal is to give Davis and James a real opportunity to compete for a title again. Given the way Davis is playing, the Lakers finally have some hope. That could lead to a busy trade season for them.

Email Eric Pincus at eric.pincus@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @EricPincus.

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James said he tweaked his ankle during Sunday's win over the Washington Wizards, but he doesn't expect to miss any time.

"I'll be ready Tuesday," James told reporters.

The Lakers face the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday, where James spent 11 of his 20 NBA seasons.

James has already missed time this season after he suffered a groin injury in the fourth quarter of the Lakers' 114-101 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Nov. 9.

"I didn't do anything extraneous on the play," James told reporters after the game. "Just when I landed, I felt a little spasm or strain in my groin. So immediately I had to come out after that on the next play down when I went to the free-throw line."

James returned after missing about two weeks with the groin injury, but he then suffered a sprained ankle in the Lakers' Nov. 28 loss to the Indiana Pacers. He hasn't missed any time due to that injury, but he has aggravated it multiple times over the past week.

It's yet another issue for the Lakers to worry about after James missed significant time due to injuries in each of the last two seasons.

The Lakers have gotten back on track after a slow start. They're currently sitting 12th in the Western Conference with a 10-12 record. James is averaging 26.1 points, 8.6 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game this season, ranking second on the team in each category.

The Los Angeles Lakers opened their six-game Eastern Conference road trip on a high note, taking down the Milwaukee Bucks 133-129 at Fiserv Forum on Friday to improve to 9-12 on the 2022-23 season.

The victory was fueled by Anthony Davis, who posted 44 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and three blocks in 40 minutes. He made 18 of 27 shots from the floor and two of his three shots from deep.

LeBron James was also key in the victory. He posted 28 points, 11 assists, eight rebounds and two steals in 37 minutes. He made 12 of 27 shots from the floor and three of his six shots from deep.

Russell Westbrook had a solid game off the bench, finishing with 15 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds in 29 minutes. However, it was the performances of Davis and James that sent Twitter into a frenzy:

Not only was the Best game that I’ve seen AD, Bron and Russ play together in a Lakers uniform but it also was their most Impressive win!!! Carry the hell on…

— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) December 3, 2022

This AD tonite is an MVP candidate. He was the best player on the court even with 2 guys with 6 regular season mvp awards and 5 finals mvps. Go argue with homies. I’m busy celebrating #LakerNation #lakerswin

— shannon sharpe (@ShannonSharpe) December 3, 2022

Easily the win of the season, the Lakers triumph 133-129 on the road against Milwaukee in a game that always finds a way to be a measuring stick. AD with 44 points and 10 rebounds. LeBron with 28p, 11a, 8r. Russ with 15p, 11a, 7r. Great effort highlighting the best of the stars.

— Kyle Goon (@kylegoon) December 3, 2022

https://twitter.com/hmfaigen/status/1598875158596308992

https://twitter.com/drewberinger/status/1598875142670942208

What an absolutely awesome NBA game we have in our hands here.

AD going blow for blow with Giannis, and LeBron having one of the best games anyone in Year 20 has ever had.

— nick wright (@getnickwright) December 3, 2022

LeBron, AD, and Giannis put on a show!

— Matthew J. Lenix (@StarConscience) December 3, 2022

Back. I declared it. What a performance by AD and LeBron. Russ played awesome as well.

— Jake Stevenson (@JakeStevenson38) December 3, 2022

Best win of the season for the Lakers. LeBron, AD and Westbrook all played well.

— Tyler Dragon (@TheTylerDragon) December 3, 2022

The Lakers have now won seven of their last nine games and appear to be trending upward. If they can continue to claim victories on this road trip, they could be back in the playoff picture.

The Purple and Gold will be back in action Sunday against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena before facing the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James passed basketball legend Magic Johnson for sixth all-time on the NBA's career assists list in Friday's game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum.

No. 6 at No. 6

LeBron has passed Magic Johnson for No. 6 on the NBA’s all-time assists list. pic.twitter.com/51wSNXSzmH

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) December 3, 2022

LeBron Passes Magic on the NBA's All-Time Assists List pic.twitter.com/Rai1m8o1QB

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) December 3, 2022

James entered the night with 10,133 dimes, eight behind Johnson's career mark of 10,141. He tied Magic's mark with a pass to Anthony Davis for a layup early in the fourth quarter before later finding AD on a three-pointer to pass the Laker legend.

With this pass, LeBron James has tied Magic Johnson for 6th all-time in career assists.

Watch live on ESPN! pic.twitter.com/pTyJGP4Ykq

— NBA (@NBA) December 3, 2022

LeBron James has officially passed Magic Johnson for the 6th most assists of all-time.

History for the 👑 pic.twitter.com/tE5s3gSqSg

— NBA (@NBA) December 3, 2022

James finished the evening with 11 assists alongside 28 points and eight rebounds to help lead the Lakers to a 133-129 win.

The 20-year NBA veteran, who turns 38 on Dec. 30, entered the night averaging 25.8 points, 8.6 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game.

The superstar is near the top of many NBA career lists, including points scored and field goals made (both second), minutes played (third) and steals (10th).

As far as the assists list goes, James could easily find himself fourth all-time before the 2022-23 season ends. Steve Nash is fourth with 10,335 assists, while Mark Jackson is in fifth with just one fewer dish.

James and the Lakers will now head to Washington, D.C., to face the Wizards on Sunday at Capital One Arena.

During a radio appearance on Friday, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was given the opportunity to respond to the recent comments from Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James regarding his appearance in a 1957 photo outside of North Little Rock High School as Black students attempted to integrate the school.

Per Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News, when asked directly if he heard James' comments and hoped to meet with him, Jones gave an answer that only praised James and did not address the issues raised by the NBA superstar.

"I don't know of anybody I respect more," the 80-year-old said of James, adding that he "would have made a great tight end" before closing with, "And I did hear what he had to say." When asked if he had any further thoughts, Jones did not elaborate beyond continuing to praise the 37-year-old forward.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was asked today on @1053thefan about LeBron James' critique of media coverage toward a 1957 photo that shows Jones watching as white students impeded Black students from entering North Little Rock High School.

Jones responded only with praise for James. https://t.co/MHk6Cjt1qn pic.twitter.com/XinCxoBYfP

— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) December 2, 2022

Last month, David Maraniss and Sally Jenkins of the Washington Post wrote an in-depth profile of Jones as part of the Black Out series on the lack of diversity in NFL head coaches. The profile detailed how the North Little Rock, Arkansas native stood outside his high school among white students who were blocking six Black students as they attempted to enter and enroll.

Analysis: A 1957 photo of Jerry Jones reminds us how recent America’s past ishttps://t.co/rp437vTV9e

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) December 1, 2022

On Wednesday after a win over the Portland Trail Blazers, James questioned reporters in his post-game press conference over what he believes is a double standard regarding the media's coverage of the published photo of Jones compared to the situation surrounding Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving.

"I got one question for you guys before you guys leave," James said. "I was thinking when I was on my way over here, I was wondering why I haven't gotten a question from you guys about the Jerry Jones photo. But when the Kyrie [Irving] thing was going on, you guys were quick to ask us questions about that."

Irving had been suspended earlier in the year for his promotion of an antisemitic film and his refusal to denounce the beliefs contained in it. James was asked to give his thoughts on the matter, as were other NBA superstars at the time.

Jones addressed his appearance in the photo last week, saying he was not an active participant in the 1957 protest against the Black students.

"I didn't know at the time the monumental event really that was going on," Jones said. "I'm sure glad that we're a long way from that. I am. That would remind me [to] just continue to do everything we can to not have those kinds of things happen."

However, James raised an issue with the lack of attention the photo garnered, saying, "I know it was years and years ago and we all make mistakes, I get it—but it seems like it's just been buried under, like, 'Oh, it happened. OK, we just move on.' And I was just kind of disappointed that I haven't received that question from you guys."

While Jones acknowledged that he heard James' comments, his inability to respond to the main concerns he expressed likely will not sit well with many people.