LeBron James was frustrated with the lack of a plan going forward, after the Milwaukee Bucks decided to boycott Wednesday’s game against the Orlando Magic.
James was one of the players that spoke in the meeting that took place on Wednesday night. He was willing to resume the playoffs, but he wanted to work with his colleagues and create a plan going forward.
“That included the ongoing discussions with James. ‘He wants to play,’ one source with knowledge of his thinking said Thursday. It was thus discordant to hear the Wednesday night news that he had been one of the voices opting to stop the season. But sources say James’ beliefs may have been twisted in the re-telling.
His frustration, per sources both in and outside of his camp, was not with those who wanted to to continue to play; it was with the lack of a plan going forward after the Bucks caught most of their playing brethren off guard with their decision to walk out Wednesday.
The Lakers’ team vote Wednesday night, per a source, was not unanimous; some players wanted to keep playing, while others wanted to walk. And, as ever, people then looked to James.
‘They’re going with whatever you (James) want to do,’ a source said. ‘Do you want to play or do you not want to play?’ And that’s when James figuratively said ‘let me sleep on it,’ and left the meeting, only to continue the discussion into the night,” David Aldridge of The Athletic reports.
The NBA is hopeful the playoffs will resume on Friday or Saturday.
