The news out of El Segundo Thursday wasn't good. LeBron James, who hadn't participated in full speed drills yet this preseason, will miss the next 3-4 weeks with sciatica. At that point, he'll be re-evaluated. So there's really no guarantee all of this will be cleared up in a month.
That means the Lakers will be without James almost surely for the first 9 or 10 games this season, and very (very, very) possibly for more.
So what happens now? How much does this hurt the Lakers going forward? There is a tremendous amount to unpack, here.
And to make it worse, Luka Dončić, who was a full participant last week in LA's camp activities up until the first two preseason games, hasn't practiced all week. The Lakers haven't really clarified as to why, but it means you have the team's second best player (who is top 10 in the league) and the team's best player (top 3, consensus) both on the sidelines. JJ Redick's frustration was certainly palpable in El Segundo on Thursday.
At this point, with more clarity now available on LeBron, getting a handle on Luka's health becomes the major priority for the Lakers. Why he's sitting out is a matter of utmost importance, and the early part of the season at the least hinges on it. And in the West, losing critical players for any length of time can mean the difference of multiple spots in the standings.
HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky
SEGMENT 1: LeBron out at least another 3-4 weeks before being re-evaluated.
SEGMENT 2: What do the Lakers do from here?
SEGMENT 3: Why isn't Luka on the court?
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