LeBron James and the LA Lakers are currently gearing up for the 2023-24 NBA season. With the preseason underway, fans are eagerly beginning to draft their fantasy NBA teams heading into the regular season. LeBron James has become somewhat of a controversial fantasy draft pick heading into the season despite the fact that he’s fired up in all his previous 20 seasons.
When looking at many NBA fantasy draft guides, LeBron James is viewed as a second-round pick for the Small Forward position. This may surprise fans, given that James averaged 28.9 points per game last season along with 8.3 rebounds per game. However, one of the primary reasons for his second-round status is his questionable availability due to recent injuries.
Fantasy basketball scoring relies heavily on availability, making LeBron James’ history of injuries over the past few seasons a cause for concern. Last season, James only played in 55 games, significantly impacting his overall fantasy value.
Despite his injury history, it’s hard to discount LeBron’s talent on the court. With a career average of 27 points per game, he remains a valuable asset to any fantasy team when healthy. Ultimately, it comes down to each individual fantasy team owner to weigh the risk and reward associated with drafting LeBron James.
As the NBA season approaches, fantasy players will continue to debate where to draft LeBron James. In the end, his performance and availability during the 2023-24 season will determine whether his current draft position is justified.
