The Los Angeles Lakers seem to be in trouble before opening night. They will already be without LeBron James, who is suffering from sciatica and will be sidelined for a few weeks. That has forced JJ Redick to rely on the depth the Purple and Gold acquired in the offseason. However, there’s another unfortunate update, this time about a player who has just appeared in a single official game…

Maxi Kleber arrived in LA last season as part of the blockbuster trade for Luka Doncic. The floor spacing center only played in Game 5 against the Minnesota Timberwolves for five minutes. He spent the rest of the time recovering from a foot surgery. And now, according to Michael Scotto, he has another injury issue. “Los Angeles Lakers forward Maxi Kleber will be re-evaluated in approximately two weeks with an oblique strain,” he wrote on X.

Maxi Kleber wasn’t expected to play a vital role for the Lakers. With Deandre Ayton’s arrival, JJ Redick has a center rotation with Jaxson Hayes as the backup. But with King James’ absence, the 33-year-old’s three-point threat and defensive stability could have helped manage other injuries. For Maxi Kleber, however, the injury bug has been something he has consistently had to deal with. The veteran center has never appeared in over 60 games over the past five seasons.

Although it’s an issue, the Lakers still won’t be stressing. Jarred Vanderbilt is back healthy. Since becoming the HC, JJ Redick has been a massive admirer of the defensive-minded forward. He, along with Marcus Smart, could log greater minutes to make up for Maxi Kleber’s unavailability. It also gives Dalton Knecht a chance to cement a place in the rotation after a quiet preseason.

Luckily, the Warriors aren’t a team with great size. But against teams like the Rockets, having a player like Maxi Kleber could be imperative. So far, though, there’s not much to worry about in this case. The same can’t be said for their superstar, LeBron James.

LeBron James could miss more time than we expected…

Initially, LeBron James was scheduled to be evaluated after 3-4 weeks. With an unprecedented Year 23 in front of him, JJ Redick outlined a careful approach to manage his workload. James, too, was on board with the idea. And with an injury to start things off, the Lakers won’t look to rush his return.

According to Shams Charania, they are aiming for a return in November. However, around the league, there’s a lot of concern about the nature of the injury. With the Akron Hammer turning 41 soon, an executive feels the ailment could be a disaster to handle.

“Sciatica is really, really painful. And LeBron’s body isn’t healing quickly anymore like it used to. I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t play in October or November. The Lakers have to be careful with this injury, and I think they will be very, very cautious,” the executive said about James’ return to action.

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At this point in his career, LeBron James wouldn’t want to risk pushing himself in the first few months of the season. Furthermore, with this being his last contractual year, the Lakers wouldn’t act in haste either. With age playing a definite factor, clearing him of any risks whatsoever will be very crucial.

With that being said, they will surely feel his absence. Even with Luka Doncic on their side, the West is an intense battlefield. Health will be a big factor in determining which teams succeed and secure a top seed. The Lakers will hope that James can recover and that they don’t fall into trouble before that happens.