The Los Angeles Lakers have been hit hard with injuries the past few weeks as LeBron James, Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes have all been out with various ailments.
James hurt his groin in the loss to the Boston Celtics, while Hachimura and Hayes are both dealing with knee injuries. Without the trio, the Lakers are incredibly thin in the frontcourt, which has led to some losses in the past week.
James’ absence has hurt the most given how much responsibility he has on the offensive end, but Los Angeles has also sorely missed him on the defensive end. James reportedly left the team during their road trip to focus on recovery back home, a smart move given the nature of his injury.
Aside from James, Hachimura and Hayes also returned home to rehab, though the good news is all three are now considered day-to-day, via Mike Trudell of Spectrum SportsNet:
Hayes and Hachimura both flew home to Los Angeles, alongside LeBron, to better rehabilitate respective injuries instead of the travel.
All three will obviously be out tonight and tomorrow at Denver.
As for Hayes and Hachimura, Redick said “They’re day-to-day” moving forward.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) March 13, 2025
With only one game on the road trip remaining following the loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, it made sense for the Lakers to send James, Hachimura and Hayes back to L.A. They were going to be ruled out against the Denver Nuggets on Friday anyway, so sending them home gives them more time to work on getting healthy. It also avoids a trip to Denver and the high altitude, which could contribute to swelling.
Regardless, the three of them being considered day-to-day is an encouraging sign because Los Angeles desperately needs them back on the court. James was initially expected to miss at least one to two weeks with the groin injury, but this recent update suggests he’s closer to returning.
Meanwhile, Hachimura and Hayes were also never seemingly in danger of missing extended time, so it sounds like the Lakers will be back to full strength sooner than later. The three will likely need some time to get back into a rhythm, but having them available would go a long way in getting the team back on track.
Rich Paul won’t put timeline on LeBron James’ groin injury
In Year 22, LeBron James has looked as good as ever though this recent injury scare is a reminder that things can get derailed at any moment. James has a history of groin injuries, so the Los Angeles Lakers have every reason to be careful with him.
While James is considered day-to-day, his agent, Rich Paul of Kluth Sports, wouldn’t commit to a timeline for his return.
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!
