UPDATE: While an exact timetable is still unknown, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports that the expectation is LeBron James will miss several games after getting added to the NBA’s health and safety protocols.
LeBron James — who the Lakers are listing in health and safety protocols — is expected to miss several games, source tells ESPN. Players with positive Covid cases must be out a minimum of 10 days.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 1, 2021
Players with Covid must be out 10 days, or return two negative PCR tests in a 24 hour period. For now, James will remain in the health and safety protocols.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 1, 2021
EARLIER: The Los Angeles Lakers will be without the services of LeBron James for an unspecified period of time. According to the team, James will miss at least Tuesday night’s game against the Sacramento Kings after being placed in the NBA’s health and safety protocols.
LeBron James has entered health and safety protocols and is out tonight vs. Sacramento, Lakers say.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 30, 2021
While James is vaccinated, it is unclear whether or not he tested positive for COVID or is simply a close contact. The NBA’s rules state that he will need to miss a minimum of 10 days if he tests positive for COVID-19. Over the next 10 days, the Lakers have games against the Kings, the Los Angeles Clippers, the Boston Celtics, and the Memphis Grizzlies. The team also has tilts against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Dec. 10 and the Orlando Magic on Dec. 12.
The team has played a number of games without James this year, as the All-Star forward has missed 11 of the team’s 22 games due to injuries. They have not, however, been particularly successful when he sits — Los Angeles is 4-7 when James does not play this season and 7-4 when he does not. As a result, the team sits in seventh place in the Western Conference. When he has played during the 2021-22 campaign, James has averaged 25.8 points, 6.8, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.8 steals in 36.9 minutes a night.
