Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James will be missing for at least three to four weeks afterward developing sciatica on his right side.
Incredibly, this will be the first time in James’ 23-year career that he will miss the opening night of the season. 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 a steal. He shot 51.3 percent from the field and 37.6 percent from three. At the age of 40, he made the All-NBA Second Team.
It will be difficult for the Lakers to be great without James, even as Luka Doncic has transformed his body. There will now be even more pressure on players like Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart to perform.
Earlier in the offseason, James’ agent Rich Paul seemed to indicate that his player would prefer to be moved to a legitimate contender. Nothing came of the comments and James will be in a Lakers uniform this season.
There has been some speculation that this could be James’ final season. This was sparked by James himself with a message on social media about a ‘Second Decision’. In the end, it was just an advertisement endorsing the Hennessy beverage brand.
Are the Lakers in trouble if James is unhealthy?
A lineup with a top two of Doncic and Austin Reaves isn’t nearly as intimidating.
Sciatica is the kind of problem that can linger, so there’s reason to think this injury is an ominous sign for the Lakers.
As things stand right now, the Oklahoma City Thunder are the class of the West. The Denver Nuggets and Golden State Warriors have grown stronger, as have the Los Angeles Clippers.
Then there are the Houston Rockets who will still do very well even without Fred VanVleet.
Any waste of time in the West could be costly and the longer the Lakers have to go without James, the deeper the hole they will likely have to dig out of.
What does Smart have to offer in the second half of his career? Ayton is facing a pivotal moment in his career when it comes to being considered a winner.
Doncic could be on his way to a monster season, with even more to do without James. While we know he can handle the load, Reaves having to step up will be a big test.
Other players like Jake LaRavia and Rui Hachimura will also look to make the most of the bigger opportunities.
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