LeBron James Ruled Out vs. Pelicans as Lakers Keep Return on Day-to-Day Track

The Lakers are evaluating him day to day after consecutive full-contact sessions with their G League affiliate.

Overview

James was officially ruled out for Friday’s game in New Orleans, marking his 13th straight missed game to open the season due to right-side sciatica.
He practiced this week with the South Bay Lakers, including back-to-back five-on-five sessions that went smoothly, according to team-aligned reporting.
ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported James was a full participant without lingering pain and that the team will see how he responds to the increased workload.
A return as soon as next week is being discussed as a possibility based on his progression, though no specific debut date has been set.
Los Angeles is 8-4 and plays New Orleans in its second NBA Cup game; when James returns, it will start his record 23rd NBA season.