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The question on everyones mind is: when will LeBron James make his season debut for Year 23?
The news of sciatica on his right side in the preseason certainly put a dampener on things, as the Lakers star missed his first-ever opening night in his career.
Although Austin Reaves has been putting on a show, the Lakers are definitely missing James’ attacking flair on the court, especially with Luka Doncic out too.
Lakers coach JJ Redick provided the latest update on LeBron before LAL’s game against the Timberwolves.
“We’re probably somewhere right around that timeline to hopefully get him back in the lineup,” Redick told the media. “But obviously, this thing has to continue to progress with all of his return-to-play protocols. We don’t have like a target date. It’s just somewhere in that general timeline. We hope that he’s kind of checked all the boxes and is going to be back sometime in that second or third week in November.”
Redick’s timeline is in line with ESPN’s Shams Charania’s mid-October report. He explained the Lakers and James were targeting mid-November for his debut, and that James and the team were taking a “patient approach” to his rehab. Which is understandable is at almost 41 years of age.
Then later in October, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin seconded Shams’ timeline.
“I have been told by multiple sources over the last several days that his rehab and all of the process to get back to that return date is moving in the right direction,” McMenamin said on NBA Today on Oct. 27.
Since sciatica is an irritation or inflammation of one or more nerves that run down the lower back and into the legs, no doubt the Lakers are taking every precaution.
The injury can also cause long term damage that can last months, or even years.
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