Lakers' LeBron James Reportedly Will Be 'Very, Very Patient' With Sciatica Injury

Basketball fans shouldn't expect to see Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James soon.

ESPN's Shams Charania reported Wednesday on the Pat McAfee Show that James will "be very, very patient" with his sciatica injury. A mid-November return is the likeliest timeline for now.

Prior to news of the back trouble, ESPN's Dave McMenamin reported on Sept. 30 that James' representatives "met with the Lakers' brass leading up to training camp with a directive for the team to be 'overly cautious' with the four-time champion in the early going to preserve him for a hopefully long playoff run."

The 21-time All-Star made 70-plus appearances in each of the last two seasons, and he continued to perform at a high level. He averaged 25 points, 7.5 rebounds and 8.3 assists while shooting 52.6 percent from the field.

When James turns 41 in December, erring on the side of caution with any injuries makes obvious sense. His body simply doesn't recover as quickly as it once did, and minor issues he would've easily shrugged off in the past can be more difficult to shake.

The Lakers' 119-109 defeat to the Golden State Warriors was a potentially ominous sign, though. Luka Dončić's 43 points weren't enough to take down a rival contender. Austin Reaves (26 points) and Deandre Ayton (10 points) were the only other two to score in double figures for L.A.

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Let's say James is back by the time the Lakers play the Oklahoma City Thunder on Nov. 12. That will mean he already missed 11 games. Assuming he stays fully healthy, head coach JJ Redick will likely rest him every so often to manage his workload.

Four games separated the second-place Houston Rockets and eighth-place Memphis Grizzlies last season. LeBron being sidelined could provide a meaningful difference in where the Lakers finish in the standings and give them a tougher road to achieve their championship aspirations.