Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Lakers receive excellent news on LeBron James amid hot start

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Nov 16, 2025 1:49 PM ET

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James is nearing a return.

On Sunday, ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported James (suffering from sciatica on his right side) has been reassigned to the Lakers from NBA G League South Bay. He will be a full participant at practice on Monday, having completed multiple days of practice and five-on-five sessions during his rehab assignment. He's set to begin his 23rd season soon.

How LeBron James' imminent return helps the Lakers

Despite being without future Hall of Famer James, the Lakers haven't struggled this season. Entering Sunday, L.A. (10-4) is fourth in the Western Conference, behind the Houston Rockets (8-3), Denver Nuggets (10-2) and Oklahoma City Thunder (13-1).

During this stretch, star guard Luka Doncic has been playing like an early MVP candidate. Through his first 10 games, the 26-year-old superstar has led the league in scoring (34.4 points per game). Fellow guard Austin Reaves looks sharp as well, as he has averaged 28.3 PPG through 11 games, the 10th-best mark in the league.

Breaking: LeBron James has been reassigned back to the Lakers from NBA G League South Bay and will be a full participant at Lakers practice on Monday, sources tell @ShamsCharania.

James completed multiple days of practices and 5-on-5 sessions this week in the G League and his… pic.twitter.com/FTEva3y3L5
— ESPN (@espn) November 16, 2025

While both guards have looked stellar, it's apparent that the Lakers still need the 21-time All-Star to compete with the top teams in the Western Conference. On Nov. 12, the Thunder crushed the Lakers, 121-92, and held Doncic to a season-low 19 points on 7-of-20 shooting. Reaves, meanwhile, scored a season-low 13 points on 4-of-12 shooting.

When James returns to the lineup, it will give the Lakers the third option they need and one of the best passers in the league. In 70 regular-season games last season, he ranked 13th in the league in scoring (24.4 PPG) and sixth in assists (8.2 assists per game).

James — who turns 41 on Dec. 30 — may be a little rusty when he returns, but he should continue to play at an elite level throughout the season. During the 2024-25 season, he finished sixth in league MVP voting.

The Lakers are already in a great position after a fast start. With the impending return of "King James," things should get even better.

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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