James is the marvel of all marvels in the current NBA landscape and will be placed among the greats in the basketball pantheon when his career is over.
He has played a whopping 22 NBA seasons, joining Vince Carter as the only players to do so. Over his historic career, he ranks first in points, made field goals, minutes, and games played. He’s second in free throws made, fourth in assists, and fifth in triple-doubles. He’s a four-time NBA champion, four-time MVP and Finals MVP, as well as a 21-time All-Star.
The 2025-26 campaign will be his 23rd — but it will be his first season that doesn’t begin on opening night.
James will be sidelined for at least three to four weeks due to sciatica on his right side, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Thursday.
Brad Turner of the LA Times reported that James will be “reevaluated” in a month, which opens the possibility that James could be out for longer.
Sciatica refers to pain that travels along the sciatic nerve, extending from the buttocks and down each leg. According to the Mayo Clinic, “Sciatica most often happens when a herniated disk or an overgrowth of bone puts pressure on the lumbar spine nerve roots.”
There’s been no mention of when the injury occurred, but James did not participate in training camp and missed the preseason games.
Last season, James garnered a usage rate of 30.1%. Luka Doncic will obviously command more usage, but he was already clocking in at 34.3% since arriving in Los Angeles. Austin Reaves would likely be the strongest candidate to get some more looks, as his usage rate was 23.6% last season and he’s shown to be more than competent in getting his own shot and breaking down defenses.
One question remains: who’s going to start in James’ place? Marcus Smart is one option, and he would provide toughness on defense. Gabe Vincent could get a look to provide spacing. Jake LaRavia is an analytics darling with good size at 6’7″ and 235 pounds. The 23-year-old could slot in at small forward while Rui Hachimura starts at the four.
The Lakers are currently tied with the Timberwolves for the sixth-best odds to win the NBA Finals, listed at +1400 on DraftKings Sportsbook. James’ health is paramount to their championship aspirations.
