Lakers Rotation Rankings By Position:Luka Doncic/Gabe Vincent #2/30 PGAustin Reaves/Marcus Smart #6/30 SGRui Hachimura/Jake LaRavia #17/30 SFLeBron James/Jarred Vanderbilt #2/30 PFDeandre Ayton/Jaxson Hayes #19/30 CELakers did not rank #2 at any position.But did rank 2nd… https://t.co/ti7uePJ8sE pic.twitter.com/PWNtUXi6IA— LakerTom (@LakerTom) October 12, 2025

Why Father Time May Finally Be Catching Up With LeBron James Publicly, the Lakers don’t view the LeBron news as overly alarming but see it as a silver lining as the time off will keep James fresher and healthier for the playoffs and other players will get chances for more time… pic.twitter.com/DaEplG7kr8— LakerTom (@LakerTom) October 11, 2025

Why Father Time May Finally Be Catching Up With LeBron James Missing opening day and starting the season with an injury that happened over two and a half months ago and won’t even be re-evaluated for another month is not how LeBron James envisioned starting his 41st NBA… pic.twitter.com/vN2rtxQEUx— LakerTom (@LakerTom) October 11, 2025

Why Father Time May Finally Be Catching Up With LeBron James The new of LeBron’s injury has ignited a firestorm of ideas of what could happen. Could LeBron have played his last game as a Laker? One source warns James could even demand a trade if LA gets off to terrible start.… pic.twitter.com/DyN3OagzUf— LakerTom (@LakerTom) October 11, 2025

Why Father Time May Finally Be Catching Up With LeBron James For the first time in his 23-year career, LeBron James will miss the opening game of the season and will not be re-evaluated for another 3 to 4 weeks due to a right-side sciatica injury suffered in a scrimmage back… pic.twitter.com/BfgnycPPYe— LakerTom (@LakerTom) October 11, 2025

I’m wondering just how serious the injury is? The Lakers basically let LeBron manage his own health. While I’m sure his people are in communication with the Lakers training staff it would be very surprising if the Lakers staff managed him differently than his own people suggested. This is true just about everywhere and is often a sticking point between a star player that wants out and one that stays. Price of business.

I’m cool with an amount that lets us fill out the team with quality role-players but my brain tells me that means figure too low for LeBron’s tastes. I could be wrong.

Lakers schedule for the projected 3 weeks LeBron will be out:@ Warriorsvs Wolves@ Sacramento@ Portland @ Wolves@ Memphisvs Miami@ Portlandvs Spurs@ Atlanta@ Charlotte@ ThunderLakers will be fine— . (@LakerFan1234000) October 9, 2025

If there’s a silver lining to any of this is that we’ll get a good long look at a few things:

-How well Luka and Reaves play w/o LeBron on both ends (not going to look at last season, I think we were close to .500 w/o LeBron…?)
-What a line up of either Luka, Reaves, SMart, Rui and Ayton looks like or a line up of Luka, Reaves, Rui, and Vando looks like. Hard for me to see Jake snag a starting spot but it’s possible, I guess.
-How the defense looks without LBJ captaining it, which his main role last season.

I truly don’t mind them treating James gingerly, especially out of the gate. Gives Luka a chance to really insert himself as the focal point, get some early MVP chatter going and so on. If this lingers much past early November though it could become troubling.

— More realistic for LA to contend from a trade or internal growth?
A: Internal growth, don’t have the ponies to go for a major upgrade or it would’ve happened months ago.

— The difference in LeBron passing the torch to Luka vs. AD
A: The main difference is the position. As a center or power forward AD was always going to need somebody to set him up. Luka doesn’t need that. He sets himself and everyone else up.

— Which types of players fit best next to Luka? How many are on this team?
A: Guys that buy into their role around Luka. Wether that’s putting out great effort on D, working on your threeball or making sure you finish the plays around the rim, everything the team does around Luka needs to augment his skill set.

DeAndre Jordan??? Ayton, man, Ayton lol.

Agreed. This will be a great litmus test for the potential of an Austin/Luka pairing.

First off that’s not even close to the best Milwaukee can get for Giannis.

Second, it sounds like if he’s forcing his way anywhere it’s New York.

He ain’t going nowhere man, this is all just ESPN BS (aka BSPN).

The annual NBA GM survey results are in and league execs voted:OKC the #1 team to win the NBA Finals.Shai Gilgeous-Alexander the #1 point guard in the NBA.Mark Daigneault the #2 head coach.OKC the #1 most promising young core.OKC the #1 (tied with Denver) best home… pic.twitter.com/vYwgnlE9jn— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) October 9, 2025

So much “whatever…” around this. Last season everyone picked Boston or Denver, Denver was supposed to lead the West, I believe, and so on. Meaningless exercise and a waste of time.

Man I really hope he can play around 60% of the season… I don’t care what anyone thinks about what somebody can potentially do, it’s what you actually are able to go out and do which means being available.