Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James (right sciatica) will make his season debut when they host the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night, according to multiple reports.
James has been out since training camp while dealing with the nerve issue in his back and the team had targeted a mid-November return date for him, so this is right in line with the timeline they laid out. LeBron began practicing with the South Bay Lakers during the team’s five-game road trip and he went through his first full practice with the team on Monday.
The Lakers also announced that Gabe Vincent (left ankle sprain) will make his return after an 11-game absence, which means they will have their full 14-man roster available for the first time this season as both Marcus Smart (illness) and Rui Hachimura (left calf soreness) will be in uniform after missing Saturday’s contest against the Milwaukee Bucks.
When LeBron takes the court for the Lakers, he will be making history as the first player to ever play 23 seasons in the NBA and he will look to continue his unprecedented run this late into his career. Last season, James averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists while being named to the All-NBA Second Team and finishing sixth in MVP voting.
Integrating LeBron back into this Lakers lineup could take some time as not only is Luka Doncic absolutely thriving, but Austin Reaves has also played at an All-Star level as the secondary creator. Figuring out the best way to utilize James without taking away from the backcourt could prove to be challenging for head coach JJ Redick.
It will also be interesting to see what Redick’s rotation looks like with everyone healthy. How he divides the minutes between the likes of Hachimura, Smart, Vincent and Jake LaRavia will be watched closely and someone like Dalton Knecht, who has played very well over the last few games, is likely to find himself on the fringe of the rotation.
Regardless, the most important thing is that the Lakers are finally healthy and, even though they have started very strong this season, they can potentially take another step up with James in uniform.
Austin Reaves believes LeBron James will fit in with Lakers seamlessly
One person who isn’t concerned about LeBron James fitting right in with this Lakers team is Austin Reaves. While he admitted that it might take a little time for things to come together, Reaves believes LeBron’s high IQ will allow for him to figure out a way to fit in seamlessly and lift up the team overall.
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