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LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on from the bench.
Before Los Angeles Lakers fans get their hopes up on LeBron James‘ return next week at home after JJ Redick told reporters in Milwaukee on Thursday, March 13, that his star forward is considered “day-to-day,” ESPN’s senior NBA insider Shams Charania pumped the brakes.
According to Charania, James is expected to miss more time with his left groin strain.
“This Saturday makes it one week,” Charania said on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Friday, March 14. “He’s not expected to play Sunday on ABC against the Phoenix Suns from what I’m told. I would expect him to still miss another week so that would put him at about two weeks.”
The Lakers have lost their last three games, including the game in Boston where James sustained the injury, to drop to fourth place in the loaded Western Conference. They are in danger of sliding further down in the standings with Luka Doncic also out at their Friday’s road game in Denver against Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets.
The Lakers labeled Doncic’s absence as left calf injury management and right ankle sprain.
Without their top two stars, Redick will heavily lean on Austin Reaves, who scored 28 points on 10-of-17 shooting in their 126-106 loss to the Bucks. It was Reaves’ best game since he returned from a calf injury four games ago.
Aside from James and Doncic, the Lakers are also without Rui Hachimura (left patellar tendinopathy) and Jaxson Hayes (right knee contusion). James, Hachimura and Hayes all flew back to Los Angeles to continue their rehab.
Among James, Hachimura and Hayes, the latter two have greater chances to return next week, according to Charania.
LeBron to Miss Schedule He Complained About
James previously complained about the Lakers’ current schedule — six games in eight days. He posted on his Instagram story on Feb. 22 this six-game-in-eight-days schedule with the caption: “This is INSANE!!!!!
In a cruel twist of fate, he’s about to miss all of them.
After this nightmare road trip, they head home to face another hell of a schedule — back-to-back games against the Phoenix Suns on Sunday, March 16, and San Antonio Spurs on Monday, March 17. Then they will have their third back-to-back games in one week against the Nuggets on March 19 and the Bucks on March 20.
James previously missed 17 games during the 2018-19 season with a groin injury. The Lakers were fourth in the Western Conference at the time of James’ injury. Without him, a young Lakers team back then went 5-12 and ultimately bowed out of playoff contention.
James is confident his current groin injury isn’t as bad as that.
“James knows his body better than anyone else in the NBA,” Charania continued. “So I think LeBron James knows exactly how to handle this [injury]. This is not as severe [as he had in 2018-19 season]. I would expect to take another week, which would put him in about two weeks, and we’ll see how much longer than that.”
Wear and Tear Takes Toll
James’ agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, was non-committal on his recovery timeline.
“He knows his body better than anybody, so we kind of have to follow him there,” Paul said on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday, March 11. “So I won’t put a timetable on it. I’ll let LeBron decide what was to be done there. He has a great trainer and medical staff with the Lakers, and Mike Nancias (Lakers athletic trainer) leads that for him and so, I’ll just be in a lockstep with those guys.”
The 40-year-old James came into his 22nd season with the most miles among all NBA players. And he might have extended himself by playing in the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he was named the MVP of the tournament for Team USA’s gold medal run.
James already took two week-long rests this season to manage his ankle issues.
“So, there’s been a lot of basketball playing for the older guys,” Paul continued. “When you have this type of injury, you have to manage it properly.