LeBron James has missed three consecutive games with a right hip contusion, sustained during a hard fall in the Los Angeles Lakers' loss to the Denver Nuggets on March 5, along with lingering left foot arthritis that has been an issue since January. He's gone through pregame shooting routines before each of those missed games but hasn't been able to clear the final hurdle.
Now, it looks like the Lakers aren't getting any closer to a definitive return date for the 41-year-old. On Wednesday, the Lakers released their injury report for Thursday's home game against the Chicago Bulls, and James has been listed as questionable.
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James isn't the only name to watch on Thursday's injury report. Marcus Smart is listed as doubtful, Maxi Kleber is questionable with a lumbar back strain, and Jaxson Hayes is probable after dealing with back soreness.
Lakers head coach JJ Redick addressed the situation before Tuesday's 120-106 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, offering a timeline that wasn't exactly reassuring. According to Redick, James went through his pregame shooting before the team's walkthrough and determined he needed a couple more days to get his left foot treatment, reported ESPN's Dave McMenamin.
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However, Redick didn't express major concern about a long-term absence, framing the missed time as partly expected given the schedule's demands on James' body.
"We obviously want him in the lineup. When we were kind of approaching this stretch, and you see the six days in eight nights and two back-to-backs last week, you never know how his body is going to respond to a game and how his foot is going to respond," Redick said. "So it's not to say I expected him to miss a game, it just wouldn't have surprised me if he needed a day or two to get his body right."
Meanwhile, the Lakers have won all three games without James, including impressive victories over the New York Knicks and the Timberwolves. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves combined for 62 points in Tuesday's win over Minnesota, each finishing with 31. The duo is now 9-2 this season when playing together without James.
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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) reacts against the New Orleans Pelicans in the first half at Crypto.com Arena.Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
(Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)That record has fueled an uncomfortable conversation around the franchise about whether the Lakers are better off without the NBA's all-time leading scorer. Redick, however, pushed back on that narrative after the Wolves game.
The Lakers sit at 40-25, fourth in the Western Conference, tied with Minnesota and a half-game behind the Houston Rockets. Thursday's matchup against the Bulls is one of the few soft spots left on the schedule. After Chicago, the Lakers face Denver, Houston twice, and Oklahoma City twice in the coming weeks.
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Getting James back healthy for that stretch matters far more than rushing him out for a sub-.500 opponent. He has appeared in 44 games this season, averaging 21.4 points, 7.0 assists and 5.6 r ebounds.
Related: NBA Makes Historic LeBron James Announcement
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Mar 12, 2026, where it first appe ared in the NBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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