As the Los Angeles Lakers prepare to tip off the 2025-26 season, one of the biggest concerns hanging over the franchise isn’t roster construction or matchups – it’s health.
At 40-years-old, LeBron James is entering the most veteran stretch of an unparalleled career, and recent reports suggest his body is already signaling that time may be catching up.
According to a recent Sports Illustrated report, James was held out of a training camp practice after experiencing nerve irritation in his glute.
Lakers head coach JJ Redick confirmed the news, noting that LeBron is “dealing with nerve irritation in his glute and was held out of practice Tuesday.”
Redick also revealed that multiple other Lakers, including Gabe Vincent, Marcus Smart, and rookie Adou Thiero, sat out practice with various ailments.
LeBron’s injury history and the future
Given LeBron’s age and injury history, this development might seem predictable – yet it still stings. He ended last season playing through a Grade 2 MCL sprain sustained during the playoffs, an injury that limited his mobility and performance. Now, entering training camp, he faces a fresh issue before even logging preseason minutes.
“It’s probably a little bit longer of a ramp-up leading into opening night for him in year 23, an uncharted territory here,” Redick said when explaining the team’s cautious approach. “He’s obviously got 22 years so far of wear and tear on the body. So, we’re playing the long game with LeBron.”
That phrasing – “wear and tear” – defensively bristles with implications. It frames this season not just as another run at a championship, but perhaps as a battle against the clock and the body itself.
Remaining productive at near-41 is a feat in itself. Last year, LeBron put up 24.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 7.8 rebounds, earning All-NBA honors and continuing to defy expectations. Yet, he also missed 12 games in 2024-25 and suffered groin injuries and knee discomfortes that forced him into extended rest.
In March, he exited a game against Boston with a groin strain, which further illustrated how thin the margins have become.
The delicate balance: performance, rest, and risk
What makes this scenario precarious is both the necessity of LeBron’s presence and the constraints on his body. In a season where he and Luka Doncic will co-pilot the Lakers’ offense, losing James for any stretch could severely hamper continuity and effectiveness.
The Lakers’ willingness to rest him now suggests they understand that even short absences might have ripple effects. From a coaching perspective, precautions are warranted. Slowing his regimen, monitoring load, and customizing recovery could be crucial to lasting relevance.
But from a competitive standpoint, there’s also pressure. Star players are expected to play, especially in crunch time. If LeBron begins the season on a cautious timeline, it could erode confidence – in him, in the system, or in the Lakers’ ability to contain threats on multiple fronts.
Then there’s optics. Every injury – especially those that crop up in training camp or preseason – raises questions about decline.
In a league that prizes youth and athleticism, narratives form quickly. At 40, LeBron is already an anomaly. Now, the slightest groan or limping step becomes fodder for discussions about age, endurance, and the endgame.
None of this suggests inevitability. LeBron has long proven himself capable of defying expectations. But the combination of long career mileage, recent injuries, and new physical setbacks means his margin for error is narrower than ever.
As the Lakers ramp into the regular season, all eyes will be on how LeBron’s body holds up – not just in terms of availability, but in function, explosiveness, and resilience. At this stage, perhaps the greatest test is not whether he can still play like a star, but whether he can sustain that level of play, night after night, against younger, faster competition.
If age is now a variable instead of a footnote in his legacy, this season may prove to be among the most consequential of his storied career.
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