The 2025-26 regular season hasn't even started yet for the Los Angeles Lakers, but they already have problems. This time involving star LeBron James. He has yet to make his preseason debut, and we now know he won't.
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, LeBron will miss the next three to four weeks with sciatica. That means that he could miss at least the first three weeks of the regular season and 10 games.
Lakers star LeBron James is sidelined for at least 3 to 4 weeks due to sciatica on his right side. He is out for the start of the 2025-26 NBA season.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 9, 2025
While it may only be 10 games, sciatica isn't something that necessarily goes away quickly and could lead to lingering issues for LeBron and the Lakers. Anyone who has had back problems will tell you that they can be extremely painful and uncomfortable.
However, none of them were LeBron, who has emerged as the greatest player in NBA history thanks to his longevity and durability.
However, he is entering his 23rd season in the NBA and will turn 40 in December. That means that he is closer to the end of his career than the beginning, and nagging injuries are to be expected.
The Lakers will have to become less reliant on LeBron James
With Luka Doncic, they no longer have to rely nearly as much on LeBron, but they will still need him if they want to compete for a championship this season. That means that they will likely have to rely more on Doncic, Austin Reaves, and what they hope is an improved defense when LeBron sits or isn't 100%.
It's entirely possible that LeBron could see a significant drop in his overall production with him having to deal with back injuries potentially for much of the season. That could also negatively affect the Lakers in the standings.
The West is already expected to be a bloodbath. Many expected the Lakers to be a top-4 team in the West like they were last season. Those chances take a big hit if LeBron is out for the first 10-plus games of the season and the Lakers struggle right out of the gate.
They could, of course, make up for a slow start later in the year. But given how jam-packed the Western Conference standings tend to be, the difference between a few wins and losses could be the third seed and an easier path to the Western Conference Finals or the eighth seed and them battling to make it in via the play-in tournament.
Overall, LeBron being ruled out for the start of the season with sciatica could prove to be a big deal for the Lakers. They will have to hope they can weather an early storm and that LeBron can play at a high level in what could be his final season in Los Angeles.