Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James will not be traveling for the team’s upcoming five-game road trip starting on Saturday as he recovers from sciatica on his right side, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Charania also reported that the “next step” for James in his rehab is 5-on-5 live play, which could come against G League players or when Los Angeles returns from the road trip on Nov. 16.
Lakers personnel are still “operating under the belief” that James’ debut will come “around mid-November,” per Charania.
The Lakers revealed in September that James was dealing with nerve irritation in his glute, and that injury kept him sidelined for Los Angeles’ preseason slate. The team then announced that James would miss the team’s season opener against the Golden State Warriors due to sciatica on his right side.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported in mid-October that James was targeting a mid-November return.
In James’ absence, the Lakers have started the season 6-2.
Despite being the oldest player in the league at 41 years old, James has managed to avoid missing much time in recent years. He played 71 games two years ago and 70 games during the 2024-25 campaign, putting up 24.4 points, 8.2 assists and 7.8 boards per game.
As durable has James has been, minor injuries are bound to come up at his age, and that’s exactly what has happened early on this year.
Luckily for the Lakers, they don’t have to be overly reliant on James thanks to their star, Luka Dončić. The 26-year-old is putting up 41.3 points, 11.5 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game this season.
While Dončić can keep the Lakers afloat when James isn’t on the court, Los Angeles is at its best when both stars are on the floor.
