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LeBron James will not be suiting up for the Los Angeles Lakers when the 2025-26 NBA season tips off, and some think his absence could stretch much longer than fans expect.
The 40-year-old superstar has been battling sciatica on his right side since late July, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
The ESPN reporter initially revealed on October 10 that he would be out for three-four weeks.
A further update from Shams today:
“I’m told that the Lakers and LeBron are looking around mid-November as a realistic debut for him. And so, October 30th would be the earliest that the Lakers would be officially re-evaluating LeBron James.
“It is expected he will need at least a few weeks after that point. A source told me tonight that LeBron will be taking a ‘patient approach’ with this rehab from nerve injury and so the ramp up process for this will be a lot of basketball shaped conditioning work.”
One league executive thinks the Lakers star could be out even longer.
“Sciatica is really, really painful,” one NBA executive told Lakers Daily. “And LeBron’s body isn’t healing quickly anymore like it used to. I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t play in October or November. The Lakers have to be careful with this injury, and I think they will be very, very cautious.”
The injury will keep him out of the Lakers’ season opener against the Golden State Warriors on October 21, marking the first time in his 22-year career that he’s missed opening night.
James, who turns 41 in December, is entering the final year of his contract and becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer.
It’s the first time since 2018 that the league’s all-time leading scorer will have the opportunity to test the market.
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