LeBron James trending toward Lakers return after G League practice run

LeBron James is finally starting to look like a player nearing his season debut, not a guy stuck rehabbing sciatica.

The Lakers superstar has been ramping things up this week, practicing with the South Bay Lakers on Wednesday and going full contact in five-on-five work, per Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. It doubled as a rare thrill for the G League group.

“It was an incredible opportunity for Zach and his staff and all the guys with South Bay to have that experience,” head coach JJ Redick told reporters. “But the reports are that he looked good and was moving well.”

That wasn’t a one-day test either. James returned to practice on Thursday and, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, showed no lingering effects from the workload.

Sources told McMenamin the plan is simple: if LeBron keeps trending this way, he could join the Lakers for practice on Monday.

The 40-year-old still hasn’t appeared in a game this season, but the team’s patience appears close to paying off. And with the Lakers hanging around while Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves carry the scoring load, getting James back in the mix changes the entire equation — both for Los Angeles and the Western Conference.

For now, it’s day-to-day, step-by-step. But the biggest step yet may be coming soon.