The Los Angeles Lakers announced Thursday afternoon that LeBron James will be sidelined for at least three to four weeks because of nerve pain, meaning the 40-year-old star forward won’t be available for the start of the 2025-26 season.
The team’s statement, released after practice concluded, said James will be reevaluated in about three to four weeks because of sciatica on his right side. Any further updates will be provided at that time, the team said.
The timeline means the Lakers will play five to nine games before James is reevaluated, including the Oct. 21 regular-season opener against the Golden State Warriors at Crypto.com Arena.
James had been a limited participant in practice, mainly doing individual work, after Lakers coach JJ Redick said James had been dealing with nerve irritation in his glute. The issue also kept him out of the team’s first two preseason games last weekend.