For the first time in his storied 23-year career, LeBron James will start the NBA season on the injury list.
The Los Angeles Lakers officially ruled out the 40-year-old superstar with sciatica, marking the first opening-night absence of his career. The setback follows a summer in which James underwent knee surgery after the Lakers’ first-round playoff exit — a finish that’s now drawing sharp criticism from one of the game’s biggest legends.
Kevin Garnett Blasts JJ Redick Over Playoff Minutes
NBA Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett unloaded on Lakers coach JJ Redick for allowing James to play 46 minutes in the team’s playoff loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves last spring.
“JJ Redick left him in the game the whole game. You’re bogus for doing that,” Garnett said on his KG Certified podcast Tuesday. “The man didn’t get a rest. The man played [46]. You’re bogus. He should have been fired for that. You don’t leave a great like that in the [expletive] game.”
Garnett, who faced James numerous times in his career, said the extended workload was reckless for a 40-year-old player with that much mileage.
Redick Reflects on Coaching Mistakes in First Playoff Run
Redick, entering his second full season as Lakers head coach, didn’t directly admit regret but acknowledged that his team’s postseason preparation fell short.
“My biggest regret from the Minnesota series was our preparation leading into the series,” Redick said at media day. “There was a lot of discussion with our coaching staff and, ultimately, I had to make the decision about what that week looks like in practice.
“We weren’t physically ready to play. Some of that was because of our March schedule, some because of injuries, but I’ve got to do a better job making sure they’re physically ready to play.”
Despite the early playoff exit and criticism from analysts, the Lakers doubled down on Redick this summer, rewarding him with a two-year extension through the 2030 season.
LeBron’s Recovery Timeline and Lakers’ Next Steps
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, James is expected to be sidelined until mid-November as he manages nerve irritation stemming from sciatica.
“We knew that he was dealing with the nerve irritation, so you hope that he’s back soon,” Redick told reporters earlier this month. “Those things can be tricky. It’s unclear who’s going to be in the starting lineup until he’s back. So we’ll have to figure that out.”
With James sidelined, Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves and key offseason additions Marcus Smart and Deandre Ayton are expected to carry the load for Los Angeles in the early stretch of the season.
The Lakers remain cautious with James’ workload after watching him miss double-digit games in four of the past five seasons. Despite that, his on-court production has remained elite — he averaged 24.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.2 assists last season.
Garnett: ‘He’s Still Playing at a High Level’
Garnett believes James deserves credit for still performing at an All-NBA level deep into his career.
“I think the reason ‘Bron wants to play is because he can,” Garnett said. “He’s still playing at a high level. So why not? If you still love playing and you’re getting paid to play, why not play until you can’t?
“It doesn’t hurt to play — it helps everything else that he’s doing. I haven’t seen a dip.”
James’ longevity continues to defy history, but his absence on opening night marks the start of an unfamiliar chapter for both the Lakers and their ageless superstar.
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