JJ Redick: LeBron ‘on court every day’ as Lakers play long game with nerve issue

LeBron James remains sidelined for the Lakers, but coach JJ Redick says the 40-year-old has been active behind the scenes as he works through a nerve issue that dates back to midsummer.

“LeBron’s been on the court every day,” Redick told reporters, via Khobi Price of the Orange County Register. “We knew that he was dealing with the nerve irritation. You hope that he’s back soon. Those things can be tricky. We knew this going into camp, so it wasn’t like it’s changed anything for how we want to practice or what our philosophies are with the preseason games.”

James is expected to miss at least the first few weeks of the season while managing what the team has called left-side sciatica. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported the issue first flared in late July or early August and kept LeBron from his normal offseason basketball routine.

At any rate, Redick said he’s been encouraged by the team’s chemistry, noting improved “small interactions” in scrimmages such as “good screen, good pass, I got you next time.” He called that kind of communication part of the team’s “championship language.”

Meanwhile, Jovan Buha of The Athletic reported that big men Adou Thiero and Maxi Kleber remain limited in practice, with no clear timeline for return.