Video: LeBron James Talks Foot Injury After Lakers' Loss to Mark Williams, Hornets

LeBron James' foot injury will be an issue the Los Angeles Lakers star deals with for the remainder of the season.

Speaking to reporters after Wednesday's 100-97 loss to the Charlotte Hornets (starts at 3:45 mark), James explained the injury is "something we gotta manage" for the rest of the season and into the postseason.

"I was happy I was able to get some days off," James said of the recent All-Star break, as it allowed him to receive "around the clock" treatment that allowed him to play on Wednesday.

James has been relatively healthy in 2024-25 despite saying he's been dealing with pain in his left ankle since at least before last season's All-Star break. He was a late scratch for this year's All-Star Game on Sunday due to lingering foot and ankle discomfort.

He has missed just five games so far this season, including just one contest since Dec. 28.

James has continued driving the Lakers' absence when healthy by averaging 24.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and 9.0 assists through 49 starts of his age-40 season.

If James is forced to miss any time, Gabe Vincent could be called on to start in his absence. Vincent stepped up his production in early February and will look to build on that momentum if given more minutes in James' potential absence.

Earlier this season, the Lakers would have turned to Anthony Davis to lead the offense when James missed time.

Now that responsibility to will go to Luka Dončić, who made his Lakers debut alongside James on Feb. 10. They have lost back-to-back games with their star duo on the court together, but the Lakers are still holding down the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference.

It will be interesting to see if James is able to play on Thursday when the Lakers have the second night of a back-to-back against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center.

James has played both ends of a back-to-back six different times this season. He most recently did it on Jan. 27 against the Charlotte Hornets and Jan. 28 against the Phoenix Suns.