Getty Image
LeBron James has had a whirlwind 2022-23 NBA season.
On the bright side of things, James became the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, passing Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
On the other end of things, however, the Lakers have been downright awful.
James and fellow superstar Anthony Davis have battled injuries throughout the season. Those injuries, in addition to depth and roster construction problems, have LA sitting at 29-32. That’s good enough for just 12th in the Western Conference and half a game out of the playoffs.
But things only get worse from there.
After a massive number of trade deadline acquisitions, the Lakers appeared position to make a serious second-half push. That position took a huge hit when James suffered a foot injury in a 111-108 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday.
The Lakers expect the 19-time all-star to miss a significant period of time. But it could be even worse than they first imagined.
Sports injury analyst Dr. Evan Jeffries, who has amassed a significant Twitter following and also works for Fox Sports Radio, said that James’ injury is likely to be one of three things.
Concerns for LeBron’s foot injury go in this order
1. Lisfranc injury
2. Midfoot sprain
3. Plantar fascia tear— Dr. Evan Jeffries, DPT (@GameInjuryDoc) February 28, 2023
Jeffries says the injury is either a lisfranc injury, midfoot sprain, or plantar fascia tear. He then offered a timeline for a potential return.
Timeline to return will be dependent on severity
Grade II: 3-6 weeks
Grade III: Months and surgery could be required— Dr. Evan Jeffries, DPT (@GameInjuryDoc) February 28, 2023
That time spanned anywhere from as few as three weeks, which could still see LA drop out of playoff contention, up to a number of months including a potential surgery.
Jeffries also said a Grade I injury is likely ruled out due to the way James was injured and the fact that he said he heard a “pop” when it occurred.
“Typically when you see those types of injuries, and you hear, ‘I feel a pop,’ you’re thinking that there’s gotta be some sort of tear,” Jeffries told Lakers Daily. “That’s why immediately I’m thinking either plantar fascia tear, and then you figure midfoot. Lisfranc is considered midfoot, but it’s obviously most severe. Those are the concerning areas for me.” – via Lakers Daily
LA’s chances of a playoff run were already slim. But now it appears they’re bordering on none as the season ticks away.