INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — Cleveland Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry says the elbow injury that bothered LeBron James during the NBA playoffs was bad enough that the team would have rested him during the regular season.

Ferry revealed for the first time that the league's MVP complained about his elbow before an April 8 game in Chicago. He was a late scratch from the starting lineup that night and sat out Cleveland's final four regular-season games.

James was diagnosed with a sprained elbow and bone bruise. He said earlier this week that the elbow was "an issue" he would take care of in the offseason.

Ferry has not been told by anyone that James needs surgery. He said James was informed he couldn't damage the elbow further by playing with the injury.