OKLAHOMA CITY — LeBron James took a key step towards returning to the Los Angeles Lakers when he practiced with the workforce’s G League affiliate in El Segundo, California, on Wednesday.

James has not performed this season due to sciatica, a lower-body nerve subject on his proper facet.

Lakers coach JJ Redick stated James practiced with the South Bay Lakers, James’ first observe motion of the season. Redick informed reporters in regards to the observe earlier than the Lakers performed at Oklahoma Metropolis on Wednesday night time. He stated studies he obtained had been that James regarded good.

“He was in a position to take part within the observe,” Redick stated. “Received up and down somewhat bit with just a few, like, warmup transition drills and progressed to 5-on-5 within the half courtroom, and obtained, I take into consideration 12 to fifteen possessions of dwell 5-on-5 contact.”

James, who’s getting into his twenty third NBA season, is the league’s all-time scoring chief. The Lakers have received eight of their first 11 video games with out him.