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 in August.
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 and touches. Internally, the news just confirmed why the Lakers had decided not to offer LeBron James an extension as they want to move on from him after this season and use his cap space to upgrade their roster around Luka Doncic.
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 season.
That LeBron has managed to remain a top-10 player in the league despite his looming age and unprecedented mileage is a physical and mental miracle but Father Time may finally have started to take down the King.
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.
There are four realistic outcomes for LeBron James this season. He could stay and retire a Laker, stay and re-sign with Lakers, stay and become a free agent, or request to be traded to another NBA team before the deadline.
The sciatica injury only confirmed the Lakers were correct when they decided that this season would be LeBron James last in purple and gold. Even LA winning the championship could probably not change that.
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.
But you bring up one of the more compelling in-season plot lines: what next for LeBron? Let’s say, for the sake of the exercise, that an NBA Farewell Tour is something LeBron would like to avoid. No corny gifts, no awkward “thank you” speeches regurgitated in 27 arenas. Just an emailed statement and he’s out. Seems out of character but, you never know, he might have really had enough of the spotlight (even though everything he does says differently). That means this really could be the last hurrah. If so, I would hope he and the Lakers do everything in their power to make sure he’s at his best when we need him most: the playoffs.
I have a hard time seeing him play for a penny less than $40 mil. Even that feels like a stretch, honestly. Of the teams that project to have cap space next season there’s either a groomed up and comer or the team is awful. Maybe Houston? Even there it feels like they’re loaded at the 3 & 4 so why shell out for LBJ? He ain’t going to Brooklyn , Cleveland can’t afford him without tossing good players to the wayside. The Lakers will have both the space, the proximity to home, and the chance to win a title. But signing him to a big deal means closing the door in key role-player and maybe being unable to even consider re-signing Reaves. Lot of that will be out of Rob’s hands in that Smart and Ayton have PO.
In the end, you’re right, lotta ways this can go down. More even than what you posted about. Clarity will come with time. And so we wait.
As an LBJ Fan, I agree that we do not spend money on him beyond this season. Can always be addressed at the end of 2026.
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.