Lakers' LeBron James: Returns to basketball activies
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James (foot) has resumed on-court activity and a "gradual movement program" but the Lakers announced Thursday that he remains without an official timetable for a return to game action, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.
James hasn't played since Feb. 26 due to a right foot injury. However, the superstar forward still plans to return before the regular season ends. The Lakers currently sit in 10th place in the Western Conference and will likely continue to rely on Anthony Davis to shoulder the offensive load until James is available.
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Lakers' LeBron James: Expected back this season
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Lakers coach Darvin Ham said Sunday that he anticipates James (foot) returning "at some point [this season]," Dave McMenamin of ESPN reports.
It's been three weeks since James suffered a tendon injury in his right foot, and Sunday's game against Orlando will mark his 11th straight absence. While he remains without a firm timetable, this update would seem to imply that it's possible the four-time MVP could be back in action before the end of the regular season. That would be a welcomed development for a Lakers team desperately attempting to cling to a Play-In spot in the Western Conference. Fantasy-wise, James can safely be ruled out for at least one more week.
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Lakers' LeBron James: Gets shots up Tuesday
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James (foot) remains out, but he was able to do some weight lifting and shooting during Tuesday's shootaround, Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times reports.
James continues to be sidelined due to a right foot tendon injury and is expected to be re-evaluated next week, but it's encouraging to see him making at least some progress in his rehab. The Lakers are in a three-way tie for ninth place in the West, so James' potential return could provide a major boost during the stretch run. Meanwhile, Troy Brown, Lonnie Walker and Rui Hachimura are all candidates for increased playmaking opportunities behind Anthony Davis (foot) and D'Angelo Russell.
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Lakers' LeBron James: Officially ruled out three weeks
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The Lakers' medical staff determined Thursday that James has sustained a right foot tendon injury and will be re-evaluated in approximately three weeks, Mike Trudell of Spectrum SportsNet reports.
James hopes to return by the end of March, as he'll avoid surgery with the expectation that he makes a full recovery through rest and rehab. The Lakers currently sit in 11th place in the Western Conference standings and will almost certainly need James to return the court to secure a spot in the Play-In Tournament. Role players like Troy Brown, Lonnie Walker and Rui Hachimura will likely see extended playing time in James' absence, while Anthony Davis (foot) and D'Angelo Russell (ankle) are expected to shoulder more of the offensive workload.
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Lakers' LeBron James: Won't need surgery
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James isn't expected to require surgery to address his right foot injury, Chris Haynes of Turner Sports reports.
Instead, James will hope that rest and rehab will be enough for him to overcome the right foot injury, which is expected to keep him sidelined for at least 2-to-3 weeks. James is scheduled to be re-evaluated in mid-March, at which point the Lakers may provide a more precise target date for his return. The fact that James is avoiding surgery at least bodes well for his chances of playing again this season, though where the Lakers stand in the Western Conference playoff picture could determine when or if the 38-year-old returns. In James' absence, Troy Brown should continue to start at small forward.
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Lakers' LeBron James: Out at least 2-to-3 weeks
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James (foot) is expected to miss "at least two or three weeks," Shams Charania reported Tuesday during his segment on "FanDuel TV".
While the Lakers are maintaining that James will miss an "indefinite" period of time, Charania notes that the four-time MVP will likely be re-evaluated sometime in mid-March. With the Lakers chasing a playoff spot, the absence of James for an extended period is obviously a major setback to those hopes, especially as the team enters a difficult portion of its schedule. So long as James is sidelined, Anthony Davis will function as the Lakers' clear No. 1 option, while D'Angelo Russell (ankle), Malik Beasley, Rui Hachimura and Dennis Schroder will all be tasked with picking up more of the offensive workload. From a minutes standpoint, Jarred Vanderbilt, Troy Brown and Hachimura could be among the biggest beneficiaries of James' absence.
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Lakers' LeBron James: Expected to miss extended time
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The Lakers believe that James will miss significant time due to a right foot injury suffered during Sunday's game against the Mavericks, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.
James has already been ruled out for the team's upcoming matchup Tuesday against the Grizzlies, and the medical staff will likely continue to evaluate the star forward over the next few days to determine the length of his absence. Per Charania, the belief from the organization is that James will be shut down for multiple weeks, but he's expected to receive multiple opinions before a decision is made.
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Lakers' LeBron James: Won't play Tuesday
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James has been ruled out for Tuesday's game against Memphis due to right foot soreness, Mike Trudell of Spectrum SportsNet reports.
James played through his foot injury during Sunday's comeback win over Dallas but will be unavailable for the first half of a back-to-back set Tuesday. Troy Brown, Rui Hachimura and Lonnie Walker are candidates to see increased playing time against the Grizzlies, while James' next chance to suit up will be Wednesday against Oklahoma City.
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Lakers' LeBron James: Tweaks ankle in comeback win
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James tweaked his right ankle during Sunday's comeback win over the Mavericks and he will be re-evaluated Monday morning, Jovan Buha of The Athletic reports.
While James was able to play through the ankle tweak Sunday, this is the sort of injury that can swell up and get worse overnight. The Lakers' next two games come as a Tuesday-Wednesday back-to-back, so it wouldn't be surprising to see James rested for one of those. If he does hit the sidelines, Rui Hachimura and Lonnie Walker would likely get a bump in minutes while Anthony Davis and Dennis Schroder would likely see a spike in usage.
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Lakers' LeBron James: Will play Sunday
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James (foot) is available for Sunday's matchup against the Mavericks.
James struggled with his shot in the Lakers' first game following the All-Star break, scoring 13 points while going 5-for-20 from the field, but he made up for it by dishing out eight assists, his most since Jan. 31. Los Angeles cruised to a win over the Warriors during the contest, and James ended with a season-low 26 minutes. It initially appeared like his limited playing time was simply due to the Lakers' large lead, but he landed on the injury report again with a foot injury. However, as has been the case all season, the MVP candidate will once again play through injury and should garner his usual workload against Luka Doncic and the Mavericks. Since the start of January, James has appeared in 18 of 24 contests and has averaged 31.3 points, 8.9 rebounds, 7.6 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.4 blocks in 36.4 minutes per game.
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Lakers' LeBron James: Listed as probable
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James (foot) has been listed as probable for Sunday's game against the Mavericks, Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times reports.
James is dealing with soreness in his left foot, but the fact that he's been listed as probable suggests he shouldn't have problems featuring Sunday against Luka Doncic and the Mavs. James has been nothing short of excellent in recent weeks, averaging 25.0 points, 7.6 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game across five February appearances.
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Lakers' LeBron James: Shoots poorly in near triple-double
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James had 13 points (5-20 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 1-2 FT), nine rebounds and eight assists across 26 minutes during Thursday's 124-111 win over the Warriors.
James suffered through one of the worst shooting performances of his career Thursday, though the Lakers outscored Golden State by 22 points while he was on the court. Of course, James' contributions usually extend beyond scoring, and he was able to partly make up for the inefficient shooting with nine boards and a team-high eight assists. It's unclear if the minor finger injury James sustained in the All-Star Game affected his performance in his first contest out of the break, but odds are that he'll shoot much better than this moving forward as he attempts to help push the Lakers into playoff position.
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Lakers' LeBron James: Will play Thursday
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James (foot) will play Thursday against the Warriors, Marc J. Spears of ESPN.com reports.
James was initially considered probable for Thursday's contest as he continues to deal with left foot soreness. He has been playing through this lingering injury for most of the season, so it's not much of a surprise that he's suiting up. Expect James to give it a full-go Thursday against the Warriors.
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Lakers' LeBron James: Officially listed as probable
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James is probable for Thursday's game against the Warriors despite left foot soreness, Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times reports.
James left the All-Star Game after 14 minutes with a finger injury that resulted from hitting his hand on the rim, but the injury appears to have been minor. He has been a mainstay on the injury report this season with lingering foot soreness, but he should be available Thursday given the multi-day break. Fantasy managers should expect James to be a full-go for the contest and could see James miss fewer games going forward as the Lakers make a push for the playoffs.
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Lakers' LeBron James: Not bothered by finger injury
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Lakers head coach Darvin Ham said Wednesday that James' finger injury is "not an issue at all", Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times reports.
James left the All-Star Game early due to a right hand contusion, but the issue is now being described as a finger injury. Either way, the 38-year-old superstar should be available for Thursday's matchup with the Warriors. James had been dealing with a nagging ankle injury during the first half of the season, but he's recently expressed his desire to play as much as possible during the Lakers' final 23 games. He's a must-start in all fantasy formats when available, and if he can push Los Angeles back into contention, James would be worthy of MVP consideration.
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Lakers' LeBron James: Exit Sunday with hand contusion
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James has been ruled out for the second half of Sunday's All-Star Game due to a right hand contusion, NBA writer Marc Stein reports.
James posted 13 points (6-11 FG, 1-5 3Pt), four assists and one rebound in 14 minutes during the first half of the All-Star Game but hit his hand on the rim and will be held out for the final two quarters. He dealt with an ankle injury shortly before the All-Star break, but the severity of his hand injury is unclear. The Lakers return to action Thursday against the Warriors, and James recently expressed his desire to play as much as possible to close out the regular season as the team competes for a postseason berth.
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Lakers' LeBron James: Scores 21 in return
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James (ankle) ended with 21 points (7-14 FG, 0-5 3Pt, 7-10 FT), six rebounds, six assists and one block in 29 minutes during Wednesday's 120-102 victory over the Pelicans.
James was back in the lineup after three straight games on the sideline due to left ankle soreness. In addition to incorporating James back into the mix, the Lakers altered their starting five by moving Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley up to the top unit and benching Dennis Schroder and Rui Hachimura. The addition of Vanderbilt in particular could take some of the pressure off James on the defensive end, allowing the NBA's all-time leading scorer to keep his focus on scoring and creating. It's unclear if the three games off as well as the upcoming All-Star break will be enough for James' lingering ankle issue to go away entirely, so he could still get the occasional night off when the Lakers resume their second-half schedule.
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Lakers' LeBron James: Good to go Wednesday
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James (ankle) is part of the starting lineup for Wednesday's game against the Pelicans, Mike Trudell of Spectrum SportsNet reports.
James missed three straight games with left ankle soreness but will return for the Lakers' final contest before the All-Star break. Coach Darvin Ham is testing a new starting lineup around James consisting of D'Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt and Anthony Davis. His return will likely mean Troy Brown and Lonnie Walker will have fewer opportunities.
James (ankle) has been listed as questionable for Wednesday's matchup against the Pelicans, Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times reports.
James has missed three straight games with left ankle soreness, so the questionable tag isn't surprising. However, it would seem the MVP candidate is leaning more toward probable given Turner reported Monday that James was eyeing a return against the Pelicans. If James does play, it would presumably be bad news for the fantasy values of Dennis Schroder, Troy Brown Jr. and Lonnie Walker.
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Lakers' LeBron James: Eyeing Wednesday return
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James (ankle) has already been ruled out for Monday's game against Portland but should be cleared to return Wednesday against New Orleans, Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times reports.
James has been sidelined for nearly one week and missed three straight games while recovering from a left ankle injury, but head coach Darvin Ham believes the MVP candidate will be back in action soon. James' status will be closely monitored over the next few days, and if all goes according to plan, he figures to be back on the court Wednesday against the Pelicans, which is the Lakers' final contest before the All-Star break.
