Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is entering his 23rd and potentially final season in the NBA. While there is plenty of speculation regarding James’ future, there’s no debate that he’s still playing at an elite level. As James attempts to defeat Father Time for another year, he revealed a new approach to his off-season training this summer.

LeBron James Reveals That He Avoided Basketball Workouts This Summer

James sat down with two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash to kick off the third season of the “Mind The Game” podcast. Talking to Nash on the podcast, James revealed that part of his off-season workout regimen involved not playing basketball.

James said, “Try to stay off the court as much as possible. I’m trying to save it all. Because I know once the season starts, it’s a gauntlet, it’s a marathon. You want to build up every month, get stronger every month. I actually picked up golf a little bit.” James told Nash that he plans to continue golfing.

As the NBA’s elder statesman, James has gained enough expertise to know that he will be ready for the start of the season even while being off the court. As James enters his eighth season in Los Angeles, he appears to be getting even healthier as he’s played more regular-season games the last two years than he has in any of his first five seasons with the Lakers.

Avoiding significant injuries is an objective for James and the team. He notably sprained the MCL in his left knee at the end of last season, but said he’s on track to play the season opener. James’ minutes per game were slightly down last season, from 35.3 during the 2023-2024 season to 34.9 last season. However, James still ranked in the top 30 in minutes per game.

James will likely hand over the keys to guard Luka Doncic this season, who will be the face of the franchise moving forward. Doncic is still seeking his first Most Valuable Player Award, and it’s unlikely that James would have an issue if Doncic made a run at it this season.

.@luka7doncic looks so good, @KingJames is trying to get some tips.

Watch the full conversation from an all new episode, out now on our YouTube: https://t.co/OZbNHaTQDf pic.twitter.com/C4x5SlyHQS

— Mind the Game (@mindthegamepod) October 8, 2025

Doncic in the MVP conversation would be a good sign that the Lakers are a threat in the Western Conference. James publicly endorsed former Lakers teammate Anthony Davis for the league’s top individual honor in the past, saying that Davis taking over as the best player on the team would mean the Lakers are in a great position to win another championship.

While James could take a step back this season for his successor, he’s still playing at an All-NBA level and could very well find himself in the MVP Award conversation with another healthy season.