LeBron James’s Return Imminent As NBA Star Injuries Pile Up

LeBron James’s season debut appears to be imminent, with the Lakers star listed as a game-time decision for Tuesday night’s game against the Jazz. 

James has missed the Lakers’ first 14 games due to sciatica and has been practicing with the team’s G League affiliate to ramp up for his return. 

He joins Paul George—who made his season debut Monday night—as the latest stars to return in what has been an injury-riddled start to the season for the league’s biggest names. 

On Monday, the Spurs announced star center Victor Wembanyama would be out indefinitely with a left calf strain. Later that night, Giannis Antetokounmpo left the Bucks game against the Cavaliers with a left groin strain. Also over the weekend, the Grizzlies ruled out Ja Morant for at least two weeks with his own calf strain. 

The calf strains will hurt NBC from cashing in on what was supposed to be a marquee matchup when the Grizzlies visit the Spurs on Tuesday in a nationally televised game. The Spurs will also be without Stephon Castle, the reigning Rookie of the Year who is out one to two weeks with a left hip flexor strain, according to ESPN.

We’re just three and a half weeks into the season, but NBA stars are missing twice as many games as they did two years ago, according to Yahoo Sports. The report found that nearly half the league’s stars—defined by All Stars and All-NBA players from the past three years—are currently injured. 

George returned on Monday to an 8–5 Sixers team that is currently winning with its younger players, while George and co-star Joel Embiid both dealt with knee issues. George had offseason surgery on his left knee and Embiid is out due to soreness in his right knee.  

The Clippers are already down three starters. They lost Bradley Beal to a hip fracture, Derrick Jones Jr. to an MCL sprain, and the oft-injured Kawhi Leonard to a sprained ankle and foot. Injuries have sunk the Clippers to a 4–10 start, which has them 12th in the Western Conference. 

But James’s own team has shown that it can win without him, going 10–4 in his absence. Additionally, the defending champion Thunder are 14–1, despite All Star Jalen Williams missing all 15 games due to offseason wrist surgery.