LeBron James is stepping away from the Lakers for personal reasons, and his playing status is unclear

On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Lakers got together for the first since their 107-98 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. Oddly, their organizational centerpiece, LeBron James, wasn't present. And based on first-year head coach JJ Redick's recent comments, there's no clear timeline regarding the four-time MVP's return.

"LeBron [James] is not with the team right now," Redick stated (h/t ESPN's Dave McMenamin). "He's out for personal reasons, excused absence."

Moreover, Redick said James is "taking some time," casting doubt over the franchise icon's availability for the Los Angeles' upcoming game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Amid the uncertainty, signs suggest the Lakers will be shorthanded for the near term, which is bad news for a squad that's lost eight of its past 11 contests.

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LeBron James stepping away from Lakers for personal reasons and his playing status is unclear

James sat out against the Blazers due to left foot soreness, representing his first missed game of the 2024-25 NBA campaign. Nonetheless, he's shaping up to be sidelined indefinitely if Redick's remarks are any indication.

Whether James' nonattendance is injury-related remains unclear. But with his 40th birthday on the horizon, it's fair to wonder if Father Time is knocking on the doorstep. However, Redick insisted that closely monitoring the league's all-time leading scorer's endurance (or lack thereof) has been a focal point throughout the season.

"In game, [James'] asked for a sub a couple times because he's gassed," Redick said. "... we have to be cognizant as we play more and more games ... being banged up with the foot thing, it felt like a good opportunity for him to get some rest."

Notably, James hasn't lived up to the typically dominant standards he set for himself early this season. He's scoring 23.0 points per game, the lowest mark since his rookie year, though the 20-time All-Star's contributions in other areas haven't wavered. He's one of two players averaging at least nine and eight rebounds nightly, accompanied by consensus MVP favorite Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets.