LeBron James’ Los Angeles Lakers start their season on Tuesday night against the Golden State Warriors.
Except the King won’t be out there on the floor.
He’s injured, and Luka Doncic will have to carry the load more on his own in the season opener.
James is entering what is the final season of his contract with the Lakers, so Los Angeles is surely hoping he can get back on the floor soon to make his $52.6 million contract worth it.
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Why isn’t LeBron James playing tonight?
LeBron James is out with an injury on the opening night of the season.
James is dealing with sciatica on the right side, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.
Sciatica causes pain and weakness in the lower back and leg.
When James was diagnosed with the sciatica, he was expected to be out for three to four weeks. The Lakers would hope to have him back in early November.
With James out, the Lakers will rely more on Austin Reaves as a secondary initiator to Doncic. Rui Hachimura and Dalton Knecht should also see more run on the floor, too.
It has the potential to be a tricky situation for the Lakers.
At James’ age, it’s not clear how quickly he’ll heal from the injury as he returns to play.
The Lakers ought to be focused on being at their best when the postseason arrives, so there’s no reason to rush James back now.
When James gets back, it’d make sense to limit his minutes at first, and maybe throughout the season. He can get one more run at a ring in purple and gold.
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