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Lakers Announce LeBron James Development on Thursday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paolo Songco | Last updated Jan 8, 2026 8:37 PM ET

LeBron James was out of action on Wednesday night as the Los Angeles Lakers suffered a 107-91 blowout loss to Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs. The four-time NBA champion forward was forced to sit out due to multiple injuries. James is nursing arthritis in his left foot joint and sciatica in his right side.

The Lakers are back in action on Friday against the Milwaukee Bucks, and James’ status remains up in the air. On Thursday, L.A. provided a crucial update on James’ injury as the Lakers look to get back to winning ways in their next game.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) looks on during a game.© Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The Lakers suffered their first loss of 2026 on Wednesday. They dropped to 23-12, which saw them fall to the No. 3 spot in the Western Conference.

L.A. will aim to get back in the win column on Friday in a home game against Giannis Antetokounmpo and Co. The bad news for them is that they might not have James's services again.

The Lakers announced on Thursday that James is questionable to play against the Bucks. It’s still the same two injuries (left foot joint arthritis and right sciatica) that have put him at risk of missing a second straight game.

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— Brad Turner (@BA_Turner) January 9, 2026

It is worth noting, however, that Rui Hachimura has been upgraded to questionable. The 6-foot-8 power forward has been dealing with a right calf strain and has missed the last five games. However, Hachimura is trending in the right direction, and there is now a chance that he will return on Friday against Milwaukee.

As for James, sitting out on Friday would mean five full days of rest for the 41-year-old before L.A.’s next game. If he misses the Bucks matchup, his next chance to return would be on Monday against the Sacramento Kings.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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