LeBron out 3-4 Weeks, Injury concerns for Luka. Are the Lakers Falling Behind?

The news out of El Segundo Thursday wasn't good. LeBron James, who hadn't participated in full speed drills yet this preseason, will miss the next 3-4 weeks with sciatica. At that point, he'll be re-evaluated. So there's really no guarantee all of this will be cleared up in a month. That means the Lakers will be without James almost surely for the first 9 or 10 games this season, and very (very, very) possibly for more. So what happens now? How much does this hurt the Lakers going forward? There is a tremendous amount to unpack, here. And to make it worse, Luka Dončić, who was a full participant last week in LA's camp activities up until the first two preseason games, hasn't practiced all week. The Lakers haven't really clarified as to why, but it means you have the team's second best player (who is top 10 in the league) and the team's best player (top 3, consensus) both on the sidelines. JJ Redick's frustration was certainly palpable in El Segundo on Thursday. At this point, with more clarity now available on LeBron, getting a handle on Luka's health becomes the major priority for the Lakers. Why he's sitting out is a matter of utmost importance, and the early part of the season at the least hinges on it. And in the West, losing critical players for any length of time can mean the difference of multiple spots in the standings. HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: LeBron out at least another 3-4 weeks before being re-evaluated. SEGMENT 2: What do the Lakers do from here? SEGMENT 3: Why isn't Luka on the court? Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Quo See why over 90,000 businesses trust Quo, formerly OpenPhone. Get started free and get 20% off your first 6 months at https://www.Quo.com/LOCKEDONNBA . PrizePicks Download the PrizePicks app today and use codeLOCKEDONNFL to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup. Click Here: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/LOCKEDONNBA Peloton Let yourself run, lift, flex, and push forward. Explore the new Peloton Cross Training Tread+ today at https://www.onepeloton.com . Monarch Money Take control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONNBA at https://monarchmoney.com/lockedonnba for 50% off your first year FanDuel Right now, new customers can bet just FIVE dollars and if your bet wins—you’ll get THREE HUNDRED dollars in bonus bets to use across the app. Download the FanDuel app now by visiting https://FanDuel.com to get started FANDUEL DISCLAIMER : 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.