Although there are a few more "boxes to check" before the news is officially official, it's sounding more and more like NBA superstar LeBron James could be back on the floor Tuesday night for the Lakers' contest vs. the Jazz.
As of Tuesday afternoon, James is reportedly "aiming and wants to" play in the game, which would mark his 2025 debut and the start of his historic 23rd NBA season, per league insider Shams Charania.
"I'm told he will go through his normal pregame routine on game day," Charania said on NBA Today on Tuesday. "That means his pregame nap, his pregame on-court workout, before a final determination is made. So he still has some boxes to check before he starts his record 23rd NBA season, but my understanding is LeBron James is itching to get back out on the court, potentially tonight. ... They're not going to do anything to risk anything short-term happening pregame, but his goal when he enters Crypto.com Arena tonight is to get back out on the floor and play in tonight's game."
Reporting for NBA Today -- Lakers' LeBron James aims to make a historic season debut tonight against the Utah Jazz: pic.twitter.com/baZDij6br8
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 18, 2025
LeBron James 2025 debut timeline
James has been sidelined for the start of the 2025 season as he recovers from a bout of sciatica on his right side. Last week, the future Hall of Famer was assigned to 5-on-5 practice with the Lakers' G League squad in an encouraging step toward his debut. Then, he practiced with Los Angeles on Monday, when he was also upgraded to "questionable" for Tuesday night's game. (He also noted at this point that his conditioning is not yet where he wants it to be, a comment that does seem at odds with Charania's report).
Despite James's absence, the Lakers have gotten off to a strong start thanks to the leadership of Luka Dončić and a star-making turn from Austin Reaves, who will serve as a formidable third option alongside Dončić and Bron once the latter returns.
Hopefully, Tuesday night is when that happens, even if it means he plays but a few minutes on the floor. But if not, the 10-4 Lakers will probably be just fine.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as NBA Insider Gives Updated Insight On Possible LeBron James Tuesday Debut.
