Lakers’ LeBron James inching closer to season debut

LeBron James has missed the Lakers’ first eight games, and he’ll miss at least a few more. But he’s inching closer to a season debut.

ESPN’s Shams Charania said James has been working out individually, and the next step is five-on-five live play.

James won’t travel on the Lakers’ five-game road trip that starts in Atlanta this weekend, per Charania and ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. It’s still unclear whether his live work will come with the G League’s South Bay Lakers in El Segundo or when the team returns home on Nov. 15.

ESPN’s Malika Andrews noted this would make Nov. 18 vs the Jazz the earliest realistic return date.

The Lakers have still opened 7-2 heading after Wednesday’s narrow win over the Spurs — and they’ve done that without James and occasionally Luka Doncic, who has missed four of eight.

Once James plays his first game, he’ll officially become the first player to log 23 NBA seasons.