The Lakers are gearing up for the regular season, which kicks off in less than two weeks, but they’ve already run into some injury troubles.
LeBron James is set to miss the beginning of the season due to sciatica affecting his right side, as reported by several sources. He’ll be retested in about three to four weeks, which unfortunately means he won’t be playing in the season opener against the Warriors, led by Stephen Curry, on October 21.
Sciatica is essentially pain that follows the path of the sciatic nerve, stretching from the buttocks down to each leg, as outlined by the Mayo Clinic.
Recently, Lakers’ head coach JJ Redick mentioned that James, who is 40, was dealing with a nerve issue in his right hip, which sidelined him during the first two preseason games.
Redick also stated that James would be back “on his own schedule,” though that was before news of the sciatica emerged.
With Luka Doncic now on their roster for a full season, the Lakers face some crucial decisions to fill James’ position in the lineup during his absence.
The offseason was rife with speculation, particularly surrounding James, who is about to enter his 23rd season in the NBA.
Rumors about James potentially retiring have circulated, growing particularly loud this week when he teased a “second decision” reminiscent of his infamous 2011 announcement about joining the Miami Heat.
This time around, it turned out to be related to a promotional campaign for Hennessy. After the video sparked widespread criticism online, Redick came to James’ defense, pushing back against those who thought it was newsworthy.
Redick, a friend of James and also his coach, stated, “You guys are idiots. Everyone knew it was an ad, right? I think I certainly got some text messages… Most of the people who texted me probably also understood it was an ad. No one panicked.”
Even with his 41st birthday coming up in December, James remains a key player, having averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 7.8 rebounds per game last year.
