Lakers’ LeBron James out at least 3-4 weeks with sciatica – Basketball Insider
Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James will miss at least three to four weeks after developing sciatica pain on his right side.
Incredibly, this will be the first time in James’ 23-year career that he will miss the season opener. The Lakers will host the Golden State Warriors.
James played 70 games last season, averaging 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 8.2 assists and 1 steal per game. He shot 51.3% from the field and 37.6% from three-point range. At the age of 40, he was selected to the NBA All-NBA Second Team.
Even if Luka Doncic has transformed his body, it will be difficult for the Lakers to achieve greatness without James. Now, there will be even more pressure on guys like Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart to perform.
Earlier this offseason, James’ agent Rich Paul seemed to indicate that his player would prefer to be moved to a legitimate contender. Nothing came of those comments and James will be wearing a Lakers uniform this season.
There is speculation that this may be James’ last season. James himself fueled the trend with a post on social media about “Second Decision.” Ultimately, this is just an ad for the Hennessy brand.
Will the Lakers be in trouble if James isn’t healthy?
A front-two lineup featuring Doncic and Austin Reaves isn’t that intimidating.
Sciatica is an ongoing issue, so it stands to reason that this injury is an ominous sign for the Lakers.
As things stand right now, the Oklahoma City Thunder are the top team in the Western Conference. The Denver Nuggets and Golden State Warriors were strengthened, along with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Then there’s the Houston Rockets, who would still be very good even without Fred VanVleet.
Any time wasted in the West could be costly, and the longer the Lakers spend without James, the deeper the hole they have to dig.
What does Smart have to offer in the second half of his career? Ayton is facing a critical moment in his career in terms of being considered a winner.
Without James, Doncic could be facing a monster season and having to do more. While we know he can handle the load, Reeves having to move up a peg will be a huge test.
Other players such as Jake LaRavia and Rui Hachimura will also be looking to take advantage of the increased opportunities.
