Lakers' LeBron James Cleared for Basketball Activities
The Los Angeles Lakers announced on Thursday that LeBron James has been cleared for contact during his recovery from a sciatica injury. According to ESPN's Dave McMenamin, the team stated James has advanced to contact basketball activity
and will be reevaluated in one to two weeks.
LeBron James' Injury and Status
At 40 years old, James—a 21-time All-Star and four-time NBA MVP in his 23rd NBA season—missed the beginning of the 2025-26 season due to right-side sciatica. ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Wednesday that James would not join the Lakers for their five-game road trip in early November and would continue individual workouts before moving to live 5-on-5 practice.
Impact on the Lakers' Lineup and Performance
- In James' absence, players like Gabe Vincent, Marcus Smart, and Jake LaRavia have filled the starting roles.
- Despite missing the first nine games, the Lakers hold a strong 7-2 record, the second-best in the Western Conference.
Team Outlook and Player Performance
The Lakers need a healthy James to be genuine NBA title contenders. Even at this stage of his career, James maintained an impressive performance last season, averaging 24.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 7.8 rebounds.
Meanwhile, Luka Dončić is emerging as a potential MVP candidate, and Austin Reaves is showing All-Star potential in James' absence.
The Lakers obviously need a healthy James to truly contend for an NBA title.
Author's summary: LeBron James has resumed contact basketball after recovering from sciatica, while the Lakers remain competitive in his absence with strong performances from key players.
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