LeBron James missing preseason a concern for Lakers' chemistry

LeBron James will become the first player in NBA history to suit up for his 23rd season when the Lakers host the Warriors on Oct. 21. 

However, the four-time NBA champion is unlikely to get any on-court reps before his record-breaking season. According to ESPN's Shams Charania, James is expected to miss the remainder of the Lakers' preseason, which includes four more games against the Warriors (Oct. 12), Suns (Oct. 14), Mavericks (Oct. 15) and Kings (Oct. 17). 

James, dealing with a nerve irritation in the glute, has yet to participate in 5-on-5 scrimmages during training camp and has been restricted to shootarounds and solo workouts. The 40-year-old has started to "ramp up a little," per Charania, but is not yet ready for on-court action. 

Lakers' chemistry a concern

If James does not take the court before Oct. 21, the Lakers could already be behind the eight ball in a crowded Western Conference. Last season, the Lakers had to reimagine their offense after trading for Luka Doncic, one of the highest usage-rate players in the NBA. 

With James and Austin Reaves, two primary ball-handlers already on the squad, the Lakers had to find ways to fit Doncic into the equation. To the credit of Lakers head coach JJ Redick, they did discover a winning formula with James, Reaves and Doncic on the court, but all three stars saw dips in efficiency and production by the end of the year.

Lakers to load manage LeBron James

Reaves, especially, was most hurt by the lack of chemistry. In the playoffs, he averaged 16.2 points and 3.6 assists after logging career-high numbers of 20.2 points and 5.8 assists in the regular season. More concerningly, he shot a mediocre 41.1 percent from the field and 31.9 percent from three after the most efficient regular season of his career.

Ideally, the Lakers would want James, Doncic and Reaves to build as much chemistry as they can before a possible title push in 2026. James, 40, may not be physically available for the 82-game campaign. At the start of training camp, Redick made it clear that the Lakers plan to load manage their aging star through the 2025-26 campaign.

"He's obviously got 22 years so far of wear and tear on the body.... so, we're just playing the long game with LeBron," Redick said, via The Athletic.

Unfortunately for the Lakers, the "long game" may result in a lower seeding or a play-in berth, given the might of the West. The Lakers will have to deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder, the reigning NBA champions, the retooled Denver Nuggets, the rising Houston Rockets and the hungry Minnesota Timberwolves. Furthermore, Victor Wembanyama's San Antonio Spurs are predicted to make a big leap, while the Golden State Warriors can never be counted out due to their championship pedigree.