Lakers coach JJ Redick makes massive announcement on LeBron James, Rui Hachimura and 7-foot center's injury return
Lakers coach JJ Redick dropped a massive announcement on LeBron James, Rui Hachimura and 7-foot center Jaxson Hayes' injury returns. James has been out since Saturday with a groin strain, Hachimura hasn't played since Feb. 27 with a left knee injury, and Hayes hasn't played since Mar. 6 with a right knee contusion.
Ahead of Friday's game against the Denver Nuggets, in which the Lakers played without these three players on top of Luka Doncic, Dorian Finney-Smith and Gabe Vincent's absences, coach JJ Redick announced James, Hayes and Hachimura's potential return timelines.
"They're very close to returning," Redick said (via Mike Trudell on X).
The Lakers return home on Sunday against the Phoenix Suns, playing on the front end of another back-to-back. They face the San Antonio Spurs on Monday.
They could also return against the Denver Nuggets at home on Wednesday or the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday.
The Lakers would hope the trio is back soon amid the team's slump, as they have lost three consecutive games in that stretch.
LeBron James injury update: Shams Charania reports latest on 4x MVP
Before JJ Redick revealed that LeBron James, Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes were closing in on their returns, insider Shams Charania reported that James could miss at least another week with his left groin strain.
If that's true, the home game against the Bucks on Thursday is a realistic return game for the four-time MVP. James' next chance after that would be Saturday's game against the Chicago Bulls, also at the Crypto.com Arena.
The Lakers have prioritized health over seeding in this crucial phase after winning eight consecutive games. They were expected to drop games this week after the NBA scheduled them to play six times in eight nights, with the games being back-to-backs.
Friday's game against the Nuggets was an example of how the Lakers are preserving their players with the big picture in mind after ruling out six rotation players, including four starters. LA is 40-24 at the time of writing, placed fourth in the West.