Lakers star LeBron James complains about flying to Milwaukee for a preseason game

LeBron James isn’t happy with the Los Angeles Lakers’ preseason schedule.

While five of their six games have been manageable, it was this week’s quick road trip from Southern California to Milwaukee that seemed to put the 39-year-old away. James took to social media Wednesday morning ahead of the team’s nearly four-hour flight from Los Angeles to Milwaukee for a preseason game with the Bucks on Thursday.

‘Can someone please explain to me why we’re on a [plane] and heading to Milwaukee for one preseason game!?!?” he wrote, before adding that he was “surprised” at himself for even getting on the plane.

Naturally, the Bucks had no choice but to respond.

However, it was Greg who had the best rebuttal.

First of all, it’s not like James and the Lakers fly commercial here. They take a chartered team flight that goes directly to Milwaukee, making the roughly 2,750-mile trip as easy as possible.

And second, it’s not like the Lakers are the only team traveling for preseason games. For example, the Bucks just played a preseason game in Detroit and next week they head to Dallas for a game against the Mavericks. The Boston Celtics, who won the NBA title last season, flew to Abu Dhabi earlier this month for a pair of preseason games against the Denver Nuggets. That’s a trip of about 6,700 miles one way. The Celtics also fly to Toronto next week for a game against the Raptors.

The NBA also has no control over team preseason schedules. The Lakers have built their own game and there is no minimum number of games to be played. Teams may play with a maximum of six teams. They travel to Milwaukee this preseason as part of a home-and-home preseason series after the Bucks traveled to Los Angeles for a game last October.

But in James’ defense, all six of the Lakers’ preseason games will be absent from Crypto.com Arena, which is currently undergoing renovations. That has also temporarily taken the place of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, who will open their regular season with seven straight games.

The Lakers opened their preseason with a pair of games in Palm Desert, about two hours east of downtown Los Angeles. After returning from their game at Fiserv Forum, the Lakers will close out the preseason with a game against the Golden State Warriors in Las Vegas, a game at the Phoenix Suns and then with a final game against the Warriors in San Francisco.

“Not an ideal preseason for us,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said of their travel schedule on Tuesday, via ESPN.

So while he may not like it, the Lakers’ trip to Milwaukee isn’t unusual at all.

James and the Lakers officially open their season on October 22 at the Crypto.com Arena. It marks James’ record-tying 22nd season in the league and his first season playing with his son Bronny, whom the Lakers selected in the second round of the draft earlier this summer. They will become the first father-son duo to play in an official NBA game in history once they take the court together this season.