LeBron James practiced with the G League’s South Bay Lakers again Thursday without any “residual effects” from Wednesday’s workout, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
This marks LeBron’s second straight day of 5-on-5 play since being sidelined in the first round of last season’s playoffs. The Lakers superstar has missed all of training camp and the first 12 games this season while battling sciatica on his right side.
LeBron, who turns 41 next month, is working with the G League team while the Lakers finish their five-game road trip in New Orleans and Milwaukee.
The practice sessions haven’t been light, either.
A source told McMenamin that Wednesday’s workout was “intense,” and LeBron was a full participant in Thursday’s session run by South Bay coach Zach Guthrie.
What’s most encouraging is that James completed the full 5-on-5 portions without any lingering pain or soreness in his lower back or right side.
When he returns, LeBron will make NBA history as the first player ever to play in a 23rd season.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported last month that James and the Lakers are eyeing mid-November for his comeback.
Lakers coach JJ Redick has been more cautious about setting expectations, though.
“Obviously, this thing has to continue to progress with all of his return-to-play protocols,” Redick said earlier this month. “We don’t have, like, a target date. It’s just somewhere in that general timeline. We hope that he’s kind of checked all the boxes and is going to be back sometime in that second or third week in November.”
Return Could Be Just Days Away
The Lakers plan to hold a practice Monday at their facility in El Segundo after finishing their road trip. If LeBron continues to progress through the weekend, he could join the team then, sources told McMenamin.
Los Angeles hosts the Utah Jazz on Tuesday before getting a four-day break until their next game on November 23 – also against the Jazz, but on the road.
Last season, the 21-time All-Star averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.2 assists in 70 games while shooting a solid 51.3% from the field and 37.6% from beyond the arc.
In other South Bay Lakers news, the team acquired Kobe Bufkin in a trade with the Motor City Cruise, giving up a 2027 first-round G League draft pick. Bufkin, a 6-foot-5 guard from Michigan, was the 15th overall pick by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2023 NBA draft. The team waived guard Jace Carter to make room.
