LeBron James has been cleared for contact work and will be re-evaluated in one to two weeks. The clearance marks a significant step toward James’ return from sciatica that has sidelined him since the preseason.
James has missed the Lakers’ first nine games of the season. James, who turns 41 in December, has been limited to individual on-court work in recent weeks due to irritation of his sciatic nerve affecting his right side.
The Lakers are targeting a return date around Nov. 18 when they host the Utah Jazz at Crypto.com Arena. James will not join the team for its upcoming five-game road trip as he continues building strength and conditioning in Los Angeles.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Wednesday that Lakers personnel still believe James’ debut will come around mid-November. Charania added that the next step for James is five-on-five live play after his individual workouts.
James’ extended absence puts his 21-year All-NBA streak at risk under the league’s new 65-game minimum for award eligibility. The requirement means James must appear in the vast majority of remaining games to qualify for All-NBA consideration.
JJ Redick addressed James’ progress last week without committing to a specific timeline.
“We don’t have a target date,” Redick said. “It’s just somewhere in that general timeline. We hope that he’s kind of checked all the boxes and is going to be back sometime in that second or third week in November.”
The Lakers have opened the season 7-2 without James and sit second in the Western Conference standings. The strong start has eased pressure on the organization to rush James back before he is fully healthy.
Charania noted that James’ situation represents “uncharted territory” for the Lakers as they navigate his recovery process in his 23rd NBA season.