LeBron James is out for at least three to four weeks
· EurohoopsSciatica will prevent 40-year-old LeBron James from playing in the first few games of the 2025-26 NBA Regular Season
By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
LeBron James is missing opening night for the first time, at the top of a record-breaking 23rd season in the NBA.
The Los Angeles Lakers have officially sidelined the 40-year-old combo forward with sciatica. He will be re-evaluated in three to four weeks, which will delay the new record regarding his 23rd campaign in the league by at least a few games.
With 1,562 regular-season games played over the first 22 years, the four-time NBA champion is 50 appearances away from climbing to the top of the all-time list, over the 1,611 appearances of Robert Parish.
James previously missed Preseason 2025 fixtures opposite the Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns due to a glute nerve irritation. He is dealing with pain caused by pressure or irritation of the sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower back down the back of his right leg.
“He’s on his own timeline,” said head coach JJ Redick after team practice on Thursday.
“You’ve got to play the cards you’re dealt,” the 41-year-old play-caller commented on the impact of preseason injuries, including LeBron being limited to individual workouts since the launch of training camp.
With four more exhibitions coming up, Redick plans to pair Deandre Ayton with Luka Doncic in game action, expecting the 26-year-old Slovenian combo guard to soon make his Preseason debut.
“DA got a couple of days with Luka last week. No one has got any time with LeBron. That’s not just DA, but everybody,” explained Redick, referring to practices.
The opener of the Regular Season is against the Golden State Warriors in crypto.com Arena on October 21.