LeBron James has been on the bench to start his 23rd NBA season. 

James, who was hit with a sciatica diagnosis on Oct. 9, will continue to be a spectator until the Los Angeles Lakers are 100% comfortable bringing him back into the mix.Lakers head coach JJ Redick recently hinted at when that could be. 

“JJ Redick says there is no set return date in mind for LeBron James, but the team is eyeing the second or third week of November as the general range,” ESPN’s Dave McMenamin stated on X/Twitter.

The Lakers won’t complete a deep playoff run without James in the thick of the action. 

The 21-time All-Star isn’t the human pogo stick he used to be, but he still possesses one of the best basketball minds in the league and is a reliable closer at age 40. 

James extended his 20+ points per game streak to 22 seasons last year, as the four-time NBA champion averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 7.8 rebounds per game.

James also established chemistry with Luka Doncic during the second half of the regular season, exciting fans who believed the organization was a sneaky championship contender. 

Los Angeles ultimately fell to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the postseason. 

However, when James recovers from his latest injury, the new-look Lakers should feel confident about their chances of bouncing back from their previous postseason shortcomings and going the distance this year.