Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James will miss the start of the 2025–26 NBA season as he continues to recover from a right-sided sciatica issue that developed during the offseason.
According to NBA insider Shams Charania on NBA Today, the nerve condition first appeared in late July or early August during an on-court workout. Charania said James has been managing the injury for more than two months, describing the situation as an unusually prolonged setback for the 40-year-old veteran.
“My understanding is this injury for LeBron, this nerve issue, first occurred in late July, early August,” Charania explained. “It’s now two and a half months and counting that he’s had to deal with it and manage it.”
Charania noted that the condition disrupted James’ offseason routine, limiting his usual preparation leading into training camp. “Even before the Lakers’ Media Day on September 29 and the start of training camp, I’m told LeBron James had not done much basketball for well a month prior to that,” he said. “So it hasn’t been a normal routine summer for him.”
The Lakers have confirmed that James will be out for at least three to four weeks. His absence means he will miss opening night for the first time in his career, as the team faces the Golden State Warriors on October 21 at Crypto.com Arena.
Head coach JJ Redick will turn to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves to shoulder the scoring load while James continues his rehabilitation. Los Angeles, currently 0–2 in preseason play, has struggled to find rhythm without its veteran leader.
Sciatica, a condition caused by irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve, can lead to pain, tingling, or weakness radiating from the lower back down the leg. Recovery times vary depending on inflammation and the athlete’s treatment response.
Charania emphasized that James’ absence reflects both the seriousness of the issue and his cautious approach to recovery. “For him to be out to start this season and miss his first ever opening night, it shows an admission by him and the Lakers that he needs more time to ramp up and get into basketball shape,” Charania said. “He’s not there yet.”
The Lakers are expected to re-evaluate James near the end of October, with the team hopeful that he could return before mid-November if his condition improves.
