LeBron James to practice with Lakers’ G League affiliate, showing more progress in his return

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — LeBron James will practice with the G League’s South Bay Lakers this week as he prepares to begin his unprecedented 23rd NBA season.

Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick revealed the plan for the 40-year-old James on Monday before his team’s road game against the Charlotte Hornets. Redick initially said James was “literally practicing with South Bay today,” but the team later clarified that the workout will happen later in the week because the South Bay team is off Monday.

James has yet to practice or play with the Lakers this season after developing sciatica near the start of training camp. The team has refused to put a timetable on James’ recovery, and James hasn’t spoken extensively to reporters since media day in late September.

The Lakers got off to an impressive 7-2 start to the season despite significant injury problems for James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. The Lakers beat the Charlotte Hornets 121-111 on Monday night to make it six wins in the last seven games.

“I told him he should play a game (for South Bay) which is kind of funny,” Reaves said with a laugh.

But Reaves said he can’t wait for James to return and added that he won’t have any problems meshing back into the lineup.

“The thing about him is he understands the game as everybody knows,” Reaves said. “Knowing him, he’s been watching these first, what is that 11 games and, analyzing the game in a sense of where he knows when he comes back, ‘This is how I can help the team.’”

After getting routed by the similarly undermanned Atlanta Hawks over the weekend, the Lakers played the second game of a five-game road trip in Charlotte.

James isn’t expected to join the Lakers on the trip, but Reaves was back in the lineup against the Hornets after missing three games with a hamstring injury.

Los Angeles’ next home game is Nov. 18 against Utah.

When James steps on the court this season, he will break the record for most NBA seasons played. The leading scorer in NBA history began his career in October 2003, less than a year before the birth of Bronny James, his oldest son and current teammate.