LeBron James isn’t setting a timetable for his return despite reports to the contrary.
The Los Angeles Lakers star disputed a report by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Dave McMenamin that said he was targeting the final week of the regular season for his return to the floor.
The Lakers announced James has resumed on-court activities and is on a “gradual basketball movement progression” as he attempts to return from a foot injury suffered Feb. 26 against the Dallas Mavericks. He was averaging 29.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game before going down and was playing the best basketball of his season since turning 38 on Dec. 30.
The Lakers have managed a solid 7-5 record since James’ latest injury, thanks in large part to the emergent play of guard Austin Reaves. While their playing time with James was limited, the Lakers also made several moves around the deadline to fortify the depth on their roster.
Coach Darvin Ham told reporters Sunday the team expects James to return “at some point” this season. The Lakers are currently 10th in the Western Conference at 36-37 and would make the play-in tournament if the season ended today.
James’ status almost certainly hinges on the team staying in the playoff hunt over the next couple weeks. The Lakers play only two games in their final nine against teams with a winning record but have critical matchups with Utah Jazz, Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves that could determine their playoff fate.
If the Lakers’ season takes a downturn, there’s no reason for James to rush back for what would amount to meaningless games.
On the contrary, if they make a run and are locked into a top-six seed, the Lakers may wind up deciding to hold James out until the playoffs so he’s fully rested.
