After being sidelined to start the season, Lakers star LeBron James is expected to take a significant step this week toward his eventual season debut.
ESPN first reported on Sunday that James will practice with the Lakers on Monday at their El Segundo practice facility.
Monday’s session will be the first practice of the season for James, who’s been sidelined because of sciatica on his right side.
“There’s a lot of excitement to the things that we can do as a group,” Austin Reaves said after Saturday’s win over the Milwaukee Bucks. “And I spoke about it the other day, y’all know how he is. He analyzes everything to a tee. I’m sure he’s sitting at his house while we’re playing, probably drinking a little bit of wine and watching the game and seeing what exactly he can do to help this team be successful. Obviously, it’s LeBron and just his presence and his ability is going to lift the team. But he’s a winner at the end of the day and he has been his whole career and I expect him to do nothing but come in and be one of the best players.”
James, who didn’t travel with the Lakers for their five-game trip that ended with Saturday’s win over the Milwaukee Bucks, practiced with the organization’s South Bay G League affiliate and had individual training sessions while the team was away.
Coach JJ Redick told reporters during the trip that he heard James, who turns 41 next month, was “moving well” and looked good with South Bay.
It isn’t yet known when James will make his season debut.
The Lakers have one game this week, hosting the Utah Jazz on Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena. Their next game after Tuesday isn’t until next Sunday against the Jazz in Salt Lake City.
The Lakers have gotten off to a 10-4 start to the season without James, who’ll become the first player to have played 23 NBA seasons when he makes his debut.
“It’s a confidence boost for the group,” Redick said of the team’s start in light of James being sidelined. “For certain players who, when we’re fully healthy, may not play a ton of minutes or may not even be part of the rotation, it gives them a reference point. It’s great for the group with the possibility of us getting healthy, that certainly makes you excited.”
In light of the Lakers being short-handed at the end of the trip, with Rui Hachimura (calf) and Marcus Smart (illness) sitting out of Saturday’s game in addition to the absences of James and Gabe Vincent (ankle), Bronny James started for the Lakers against the Bucks.
“How about Bronny James starting in the NBA and LeBron’s assigned to the G League? That’s awesome,” Reaves said.