LeBron James talks missing playoffs: ‘It’s not what we signed up for’

For the first time in 13 years, LeBron James will not be in the playoffs.

While a few hearty souls predicted the Lakers would fall short of the postseason — shout out to Tim Bontemps of ESPN — the conventional wisdom was the presence of LeBron was enough to lift the Lakers at least into the playoffs. That was certainly the expectation within the organization (where many thought things were more like home court in the first round good). A combination of a poorly constructed roster, injuries, and a perfect storm of little things all added up to the Lakers missing the playoffs for a sixth straight year.

Here is what LeBron James said after the Lakers’ loss to Brooklyn Saturday that officially knocked Los Angeles out of the playoffs. Via Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

“It’s not what we signed up for. Throughout the year, things happened. Suspensions, injuries, things of that nature. And just not being able to play sustainable basketball for 48 minutes. But you don’t even try to wrap your head around it, you just keep pushing. Just try to get better tonight, move on to tomorrow, and go from there. Playoffs are never promised. You’ve got to come out and work. For me personally, you just continue to put the work in and see what you can do to help.”

There were a lot of things that kept the Lakers out, but on Christmas Day the Lakers had just beaten (a very disinterested) Warriors team, were 20-14, the four seed in the West, and with a top-10 defense. However, in that game LeBron injured his groin and missed the next 17 Lakers games, and even when he returned was not completely right and his old self (how much of that is the injury and how much of that is father time is a matter of speculation). LeBron couldn’t lift this team up like he had previous teams, and there was not enough talent on this roster to lift him up (and the good young talent there was kept getting injured).

Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka signed he guys they did — Rajon Rondo, Lance Stephenson, JaVale McGee, Michael Beasley — to maintain cap space for this summer. Now the pressure is on them to do something with that money to get both another star and a better supporting cast around LeBron.

Now what for No. 23? LeBron is not shutting it down.

“I’m probably going to have a conversation with the coaching staff and my trainer and go from there,” he said. “But I love to hoop. S---, I’m going to have five months and not play the game. So, you know, hopefully I can be in as many games as possible.”