{"id":162235,"date":"2025-10-10T18:54:50","date_gmt":"2025-10-10T22:54:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=162235"},"modified":"2025-10-10T19:12:10","modified_gmt":"2025-10-10T23:12:10","slug":"lebron-james-injury-gets-worse-three-players-poised-to-step-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/10\/10\/lebron-james-injury-gets-worse-three-players-poised-to-step-up\/","title":{"rendered":"LeBron James\u2019 Injury Gets Worse, Three Players Poised To Step Up"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>LOS ANGELES \u2014 <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/j\/jamesle01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">LeBron James<\/a>\u2019 injury has sent a ripple through the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/category\/lakers\/\" target=\"_self\">Lakers<\/a> organization at the worst possible time. The team\u2019s preseason optimism has now given way to uncertainty. James\u2019 ongoing battle with sciatica, first reported by <em>The Athletic\u2019s<\/em> Shams Charania, has sidelined him since late July. The 40-year-old star has yet to resume on-court activities and might not return until Thanksgiving. For a Lakers roster built around his leadership and consistency, others must now step up.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>LeBron James\u2019 Injury Gets Worse, Three Players Poised To Step Up<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3>The Extent of LeBron\u2019s Sciatica Problem<\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_162168\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-162168\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-162168\" src=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/10\/USATSI_25890371_168402037_lowres-1024x689.jpg\" alt=\"Luka Don\u010di\u0107\u2019s is set to carry a bigger load as players step up to cover LeBron James absence due to injury\" width=\"640\" height=\"431\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/10\/USATSI_25890371_168402037_lowres-1024x689.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/10\/USATSI_25890371_168402037_lowres-300x202.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/10\/USATSI_25890371_168402037_lowres-768x517.jpg 768w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/10\/USATSI_25890371_168402037_lowres-1536x1033.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/10\/USATSI_25890371_168402037_lowres.jpg 1861w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-162168\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Apr 9, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) celebrates with Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) during the fourth quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Shams reported on the extent of LeBron\u2019s injury and how long he&#8217;s expected to be our for. &#8220;Over the past month, it\u2019s gotten worse where LeBron has been unable to do any on-court basketball activities.&#8221; Evan Sidery of Forbes <a  href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/esidery\/status\/1976725598673199229?t=VBo_0pHzftdve_nMkjtevw&amp;s=19\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">added<\/a> that \u201cLeBron might not be back until closer to Thanksgiving as he fully recovers.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Reporting for NBA Today on LeBron James&#39; nerve injury set to sideline him into the Lakers 2025-26 season: <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/dMheCIe0EN\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/dMheCIe0EN<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ShamsCharania\/status\/1976729836677996569?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">October 10, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Shams reported \u201cLakers star LeBron James is sidelined for at least 3 to 4 weeks due to sciatica on his right side. He is out for the start of the 2025-26 NBA season.\u201d The news of LeBron missing the start of the season broke on October 9th, and it has since sparked debate among analysts. Nick Wright <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/watch\/fmc-pkpqdnvlzz36318l\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">downplayed<\/a> it early, calling it \u201cnot a huge deal.\u201d Now, it\u2019s clearly a major concern.<\/p>\n<p>This development follows a turbulent offseason. From cryptic social media posts to speculation about his future, James has stayed in headlines. But now, the conversation has shifted from legacy talk to recovery timelines. His absence will test the Lakers\u2019 depth and resolve early in the season.<\/p>\n<h3>Caution and Context<\/h3>\n<p>\u201cMy understanding is this injury for LeBron, this nerve issue, first developed, first occurred in late July, early August during an on-court workout,\u201d Charania explained. \u201cSo it\u2019s now two and a half months and counting that he\u2019s had to deal with it and manage it.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Joined NBA Today to discuss LeBron James\u2019 sciatica diagnosis and what it could mean in the near and distant future for him and the Lakers <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/7zNGhkIDIQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/7zNGhkIDIQ<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Dave McMenamin (@mcten) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/mcten\/status\/1976751527898628422?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">October 10, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>According to ESPN\u2019s Dave McMenamin, James\u2019 camp told the Lakers to be \u201coverly cautious\u201d with his recovery. James, who turns 41 in December, appeared in 70 games last season, averaging 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.2 assists. He still made All-NBA Second Team and finished sixth in MVP voting. That production leaves a massive void. Since James joined the Lakers in 2018-19, Los Angeles is 248-171 (a .591 winning percentage) with him on the court. When he does not play, the Lakers are 56-78 (.418).<\/p>\n<p>The question now: who will step up? LeBron James&#8217; injury will define the early days of the Lakers\u2019 season.<\/p>\n<h3>Luka Don\u010di\u0107\u2019s Burden Grows<\/h3>\n<p><a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/d\/doncilu01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Luka Don\u010di\u0107<\/a> already faced high expectations after a full offseason in Los Angeles. His EuroBasket performance <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/08\/25\/luka-doncics-eurobasket-tune-up-slovenias-star-shows-hes-ready-for-the-spotlight\/\" target=\"_self\">raised excitement<\/a>, but with LeBron\u2019s injury even more will be asked of him.<\/p>\n<p>After a blockbuster trade in February, Don\u010di\u0107 averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.5 assists. Those numbers dip slightly from his Dallas days, when he averaged over 33 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists across 136 games. He is one of the league\u2019s premier stars. With James sidelined, Luka becomes an even stronger favorite for the MVP award.<\/p>\n<h3>Rui Hachimura\u2019s Contract-Year Opportunity<\/h3>\n<p><a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/h\/hachiru01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Rui Hachimura<\/a> enters his contract year with a new incentive. The 26-year-old forward is earning $18.26 million this season and is eligible for a four-year extension worth up to $114.5 million. With the Lakers\u2019 cap flexibility in mind, this stretch will help determine his long-term role.<\/p>\n<p>Rui averaged 13 points and 5 rebounds last season on 50.9\/41.3\/77.0 shooting splits. He has previously stepped up during James\u2019 absences over the last two seasons, averaging 18.1 points and 5.7 rebounds in 15 games without him. Now, the Lakers will need similar production. Stepping up during LeBron James&#8217; injury could cement his value either as a cornerstone or a premium trade chip.<\/p>\n<h3>Austin Reaves Must Evolve<\/h3>\n<p><a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/r\/reaveau01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Austin Reaves<\/a> rounds out the trio of players under the spotlight. While <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/l\/laravja01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jake LaRavia<\/a> makes sense as a candidate, Reaves\u2019 proven consistency makes him the likeliest to take on more responsibility. He averaged 20.2 points, 5.8 assists, and 4.8 rebounds across 73 games last season. Those numbers jumped to 27.9 points, 8.3 assists, and 6.6 rebounds in nine games without LeBron.<\/p>\n<p>This season offers a glimpse into whether a Don\u010di\u0107\u2013Reaves backcourt can work long term. The Lakers\u2019 front office will evaluate if Reaves is worth the \u201c$30 million starting salary\u201d projected for his next deal. His growth will shape the team\u2019s direction post-LeBron.<\/p>\n<p>Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>LOS ANGELES \u2014 LeBron James\u2019 injury has sent a ripple through the Lakers organization at the worst possible time. The team\u2019s preseason optimism has now given way to uncertainty. James\u2019 ongoing battle with sciatica, first reported by The Athletic\u2019s Shams Charania, has sidelined him since late July. The 40-year-old star has yet to resume on-court [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5018,"featured_media":161713,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[62,1608,26,3],"tags":[49979,50244,4556,38,1133,4745,1749],"class_list":["post-162235","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba","category-basketball","category-lakers","category-news","tag-2024-25-nba-season","tag-2025-26-nba-season","tag-austin-reaves","tag-lebron-james","tag-luka-doncic","tag-nba-injuries","tag-rui-hachimura"],"modified_by":"Frederick Okocha","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/162235","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5018"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=162235"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/162235\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":162252,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/162235\/revisions\/162252"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/161713"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=162235"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=162235"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=162235"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}