Overview
- On ESPN’s Inside the NBA, Charles Barkley quipped that LeBron James “don’t have a sciatica,” joking that his absence is about being “old,” a line that drew laughs from Shaquille O’Neal.
- The Lakers previously announced James would miss the first few weeks of the season due to sciatica, marking the first opening night he has missed in his career.
- Shams Charania reported the nerve issue began in late July during an on-court workout and that an Oct. 30 evaluation would be followed by several weeks of ramp-up.
- ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported this week that James remains in rehab and is likely out until mid-November under a patient timetable.
- Barkley’s on-air skepticism comes as the NBA reviews injury-announcement practices in the wake of an FBI gambling probe, and follows earlier doubts voiced by former players such as Kevin Garnett.