Is LeBron James Playing? Full Lakers Injury Report vs Grizzlies

Ricardo Sandoval | 6 Hours Ago

Dec 2, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) dribbles against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images / Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers will look to get back in the win column against the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday night in front of their home crowd.

The Lakers have been on a major slump over the last week few. They've lost eight of their last 11 games and have dropped mightly in the West standings. Los Angeles looks like the team any thought they would be, as they possess a mediocre roster at best.

However, it doesn't help that arguably their best player, LeBron James, has missed the last two games due to left foot soreness. On top of that, James has not been with the team due to personal reasons.

That could all change for Sunday's contest, as James was listed as questionable due to left foot injury management. Lakers head coach JJ Redick will "try" to play in this game.

JJ Redick says LeBron will “try to give it a go” tonight against Memphis, returning after a two-game absence https://t.co/JyrAVea0EI

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) December 16, 2024

James has not played since Dec. 6 against the Atlanta Hawks. In that contest, the 39-year-old looked the best he had in weeks, recording a game-high 39 points on 14-for-25 shooting, 10 rebounds, 11 assists, and three blocks in 43 minutes.

The Lakers lost the contest in overtime, but L.A. seemed to be on the right track.

Los Angeles could use all the help it can get as it faces a Grizzlies team that is among the top in the Western Conference standings. After an injury-riddled 2023-24 season for Memphis, they now have many of their top players back and are playing like the up-and-coming powerhouse they showed to be in the past few years.

The Lakers, however, will be without four key players: Jaxson Hayes, Jalen Hood-Schifino, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Christian Wood.

Hood-Schifino will miss his sixth consecutive contest with a hamstring injury on Sunday. His next chance to suit up will come against the Kings on Thursday, but even if he does, he should only see the court if there is a blowout.

Hayes has been out for a while already due to an ankle injury, and to no surprise, he's going to miss Sunday's game for the same reason. The team doesn't have any set timetable for his recovery at this point, so we expect Christian Koloko to continue to get an increased run for the foreseeable future.

Wood and Vanderbilt have yet to play this season, and their timetables for a potential return are unclear.

The Lakers will look to avoid a .500 record for the first time this season.

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