LeBron James Will Reportedly Miss Lakers' Road Trip, Latest Timeline for Injury Return

LeBron James to Miss Lakers' Upcoming Road Trip Due to Injury

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James will not join the team on their upcoming five-game road trip starting Saturday as he recovers from sciatica affecting his right side, reports ESPN's Shams Charania.

Injury and Recovery Progress

Charania stated that the next phase in James' rehabilitation involves participating in 5-on-5 live play, which might take place against G League players or after the team's return from the road trip in November. The Lakers are still expecting James to make his season debut around mid-November.

Background on the Injury

The Lakers disclosed in September that James had nerve irritation in his glute, sidelining him for the preseason games. They later confirmed he would miss the season opener against the Golden State Warriors due to sciatica on his right side.

“Lakers personnel are still operating under the belief that James' debut will come around mid-November,” reported Charania.

Team Performance without James

During James' absence, the Lakers have started the season with a solid 6-2 record. Despite being the oldest player in the league at 41 years old, James has shown remarkable durability, having played 71 games two seasons ago and 70 games in the 2024-25 season, averaging 24.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 7.8 rebounds per game.

Impact of Age and Injuries

While James has been durable, minor injuries are expected at his age, which explains this early setback. Fortunately for the Lakers, they can rely on star player Luka Dončić to shoulder the load in James' absence.

“As durable as James has been, minor injuries are bound to come up at his age, and that's exactly what has happened early on this year.”

Author's Summary

LeBron James is sidelined with sciatica and expected to return mid-November, while the Lakers perform well without him, thanks to Luka Dončić's support.

Bleacher Report — 2025-11-06