The squad from Los Angeles might soon see some familiar faces back in action. Their leader, JJ Redick, informed journalists prior to their face-off against the Timberwolves this Wednesday that James (due to a nerve issue) is expected to be back on the court around the second or third week of November. Meanwhile, Dončić (dealing with a finger issue and leg bruising) could potentially return within “the upcoming few games.”
James, readying for his 23rd run in the league, hasn’t been seen on the court yet this season. It was initially shared by the Lakers on October 9th that James would be sidelined for roughly 3-4 weeks because of nerve irritation affecting his glute, which also kept him out of all pre-season games. It seems the comeback timeline might be stretching a bit longer than initially expected.
How impressive performances from Reaves and Dončić might reshape James’ function in the reinvented Lakers
Sam Quinn
Should James remain out until mid-November, he’s set to miss at least the initial ten games of this season. The Los Angeles team is heading for a stretch of five away games, kicking off in Atlanta against the Hawks on November 8th, and they won’t be back in their home stadium until November 18th for a game against the Utah Jazz. The match against the Hawks will mark the team’s tenth game of the season.
Speaking of Dončić, the Lakers’ leading player had a phenomenal start to the 2025-26 season before having to sit out. In the Lakers’ opening game against the Golden State Warriors, Dončić racked up an impressive 43 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists, following it up with another almost-triple double performance of 49 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists.
Even with James out since the season’s start and Dončić missing the most recent pair of games, the Lakers have managed a balanced 2-2 record. Reaves has been a standout, consistently scoring over 25 points in each of the first four games, including a high-scoring game of 51 points against the Sacramento Kings just last weekend. Additionally, Reaves contributed 41 points during the Lakers’ defeat to the Portland Trail Blazers earlier in the week.
