LeBron James won’t be trying to rush back to the court to begin his 23rd NBA season.

The 40-year-old Lakers star is “taking a patient approach” to his sciatica that will sideline him for the start of the 2025-26 NBA season , ESPN’s Shams Charania reported during “NBA Countdown” on Wednesday.

When the Lakers announced James’ injury last Thursday, he was expected to miss three-to-four weeks.

LeBron James, sitting out due to sciatica, watches the Lakers from the bench against the Warriors on Oct. 12, 2025. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

It might be a bit longer than that, as Charania reported James and the Lakers “are looking at mid-November” for his season debut after he gets re-evaluated on Oct. 30.

The Lakers are a part of the NBA’s opening-night doubleheader on Tuesday, marking th

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