LeBron Cancels Golf After Lakers Injuries

J.R. Smith reveals LeBron James backed out of a planned golf outing due to the loss of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 3:43am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a fragmented basketball court scene with overlapping angular shapes in deep purple, forest green, and burnt orange tones, conveying the complex challenges facing LeBron James and the Lakers.LeBron James faces an immense challenge in leading the Lakers without key injured players, reflected in the fragmented, geometric style.Dallas Today

Former NBA player J.R. Smith revealed that LeBron James had to cancel a planned golf outing with him after hearing the news of Lakers injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Smith said LeBron felt he had too much on his shoulders to play golf at the moment.

Why it matters

The Lakers are facing a major challenge with the loss of two key players, Doncic and Reaves, and LeBron is now singlehandedly tasked with carrying the team forward. This reflects the immense pressure and responsibility on LeBron's shoulders as the Lakers' veteran leader.

The details

According to Smith, he and LeBron were supposed to play golf in Dallas, where the Lakers were playing, but LeBron canceled after hearing about the Doncic and Reaves injuries. LeBron told the group chat that if this was five years ago, he would have definitely played golf, but now he has too much on his shoulders to do so.

  • LeBron and J.R. Smith were scheduled to play golf last week in Dallas.

The players

LeBron James

A veteran NBA player and the star player for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Luka Doncic

A star player for the Los Angeles Lakers who suffered an injury.

Austin Reaves

A player for the Los Angeles Lakers who suffered an injury.

J.R. Smith

A former NBA player and friend of LeBron James.

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What they’re saying

“It's funny that he texted the group chat because it was in Dallas, where he's playing. We were supposed to play golf. He's like, 'Man, I can't play golf. I've got too much on my shoulders right now. If this was five years ago I would definitely play,'”

— J.R. Smith, Former NBA Player

The takeaway

LeBron's decision to cancel his golf plans shows the immense pressure and responsibility he is facing as the Lakers' veteran leader, having to singlehandedly carry the team forward in the wake of major injuries to key players like Doncic and Reaves.