LeBron James will miss the start of the 2025-26 NBA campaign. The Los Angeles Lakers superstar is expected to be out for three to four weeks due to sciatica. This means he won’t feature during pre-season and will also be unavailable for the team’s season opener on October 22nd.
As the King heads into his 23rd season, load management is expected throughout the year. The idea is for him to be at his best in time for the playoffs. Luka Doncic and the revamped Lakers roster should be enough to secure a good seed during the regular season without James constantly playing big minutes. And according to reports, LeBron will be monitoring their ability to do that while he’s sidelined to start the year.
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LeBron James is expected to monitor the Lakers’ situation while he’s out, per @mcten
“LeBron’s gotta be watching, while he’s out. If they are struggling, that could lead to the next step… When Rich Paul said that LeBron will be watching the Lakers’ every move because the… pic.twitter.com/vO5O8Xl6iL
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 11, 2025
“LeBron’s gotta be watching, while he’s out. If they are struggling, that could lead to the next step,” Dave McMenamin said on ESPN. “When Rich Paul said that LeBron will be watching the Lakers’ every move because the priority is to win. If they are not winning, maybe LeBron might have to go elsewhere.”
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James talks with son, guard Bronny James, during a break in the fourth quarter against the Golden State Warriors. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images
LeBron is currently sitting on four NBA championships and four Finals MVPs. If he wants to strengthen his NBA GOAT case, he needs to add at least one more. It’s difficult to imagine him being involved in a midseason trade, but a poor start to the season for Los Angeles could make that a very real possibility.
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