The regular season hasn’t even started yet, but Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James may already be having second thoughts about his team. LeBron will be out for at least 3 weeks to start this season due to sciatica, which, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, he has been dealing with for more than 2 months.
That is concerning, considering that sciatica can be a lingering issue, and it will cost him at least 10 games to start the season, if not more. Not only that, but according to ESPN’s David McMenamin, LeBron will be using his absence with the team to evaluate the roster and how they perform.
Joined NBA Today to discuss LeBron James’ sciatica diagnosis and what it could mean in the near and distant future for him and the Lakers pic.twitter.com/7zNGhkIDIQ
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) October 10, 2025
Moreover, if the Lakers struggle way out of the gate and appear as though they are capable of contending, he may reevaluate his situation in Los Angeles. That could potentially mean he could demand a trade.
The Los Angeles Lakers will have to prove themselves to LeBron James
If true, that will be a surprising development considering that the Lakers’ potential struggles will be a result of LeBron’s absence and not an indictment of their roster. If LeBron is really evaluating the Lakers, then he should do so once he is fully healthy and they have time to see what they have fully loaded.
Of course, there is a scenario in which the Lakers play well without LeBron, with Luka Dončić having proven that he can carry a team. That seems to be a reasonable outcome, though the Lakers also should be closely monitoring LeBron like he is them.
He will turn 41 in December and will be playing in his 23rd season. With him having dealt with sciatica since the summer, it’s fair to wonder if he will struggle this season once he finally debuts.
The Lakers should be concerned about whether LeBron will be LeBron
That seems possible, or perhaps he isn’t nearly as consistent as he has been, with him having fewer classic LeBron games. That could result in him settling into a clear-cut secondary role behind Doncic but even more so than last season.
In that case, the Lakers probably wouldn’t have to worry about him demanding a trade. Instead they may have to worry about him having enough to help carry them to another championship.
Overall, the Lakers will be without LeBron for at least three weeks to start the season. He will reportedly be using that time to evaluate their roster, and if he doesn’t like what he sees, he could even demand a trade. Stay tuned!
