The Los Angeles Lakers kicked off the 2025-26 NBA season without their leader on the floor. LeBron James has been sidelined for five straight games now, reportedly battling sciatica in his lower back.
Questions keep piling up about when he’ll finally suit up. Charles Barkley, however, isn’t buying the official injury report.
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Before the season tipped off, the Lakers announced James had been diagnosed with right-side sciatica, a condition involving nerve damage that’s more common in older adults. At 40 years old, James fits right into that demographic. It’s an ailment rarely seen in younger athletes, but Father Time waits for no one.
“First of all, LeBron don’t have a sciatica,” Barkley declared on Inside The NBA. “They [should] just put old. O-L-D, with an extra ‘d’ too.”
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Barkley’s not exactly wrong about the age factor here. James turns 41 this December, so expecting more wear and tear isn’t unreasonable. His comment likely came with a healthy dose of humor, poking fun at James’ mileage more than doubting the diagnosis itself. Still, there’s a chance Barkley genuinely questions whether sciatica is the real culprit. Either way, it’s classic Inside the NBA banter at its finest.
But James isn’t the only star missing time right now. Luka Doncic is out with a sprained finger, leaving the Lakers a bit thin on firepower. In the meantime, Austin Reaves has stepped up and taken charge, keeping things steady until the cavalry returns.
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Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) shoots a game winning shot over Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo (0) in the second half at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
Lakers head coach JJ Redick shared Wednesday that LeBron James is expected back sometime in the second or third week of November. If that timeline holds, he’ll miss at least the first 10 games of the season. The Lakers open a five-game road trip in Atlanta against the Hawks on November 8 and won’t return home until November 18 to face the Utah Jazz.
For now, Lakers fans can only wait and hope their 40-year-old king returns ready to remind everyone why age is just a number.
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