LeBron James is set to pass former NBA star Vince Carter for the most seasons played in league history, as he will enter his 23rd campaign. However, this will only become official when he plays in the regular season, which might not happen anytime soon. The Lakers recently confirmed that the 40-year-old forward, who didn’t play in the team’s opening two preseason matches so far, will miss the first few games of the 2025-26 campaign due to injury.
The Pacers and the Thunder, last season’s finalists, have recently added one player each to their injury reports. However, Oklahoma City’s NBA 2025 odds of repeating aren’t too much affected by this, compared to Indiana.
Elsewhere, the Knicks were listed as a huge trade suitor for Giannis Antetokounmpo, and the Greek Freak sent a clear message to his Bucks supporters.
Learn more about the latest NBA 2025 updates, courtesy of SBOTOP.
James set to miss Lakers opener
According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, LeBron James is sidelined for at least three to four weeks due to sciatica on his right side. This means that he would miss the Lakers’ opening-night match against the Warriors. The team will play eight matches in 13 days beginning October 24.
Sciatica is nerve pain from an injury or irritation to your sciatic nerve. The nerve originates in the lower spine and travels through the glutes and the hamstrings before branching into other smaller nerves in the lower leg and foot. Symptoms include a tingling or burning pain that radiates down the affected leg, numbness, and muscle weakness.
“You’ve got to play the cards you’re dealt,” Redick said about James’ injury. “That’s a shame, but that’s just the reality. No one has got any time with LeBron. That’s not just (new center Deandre Ayton), but everybody. (James) hasn’t been on the court with the team, but that’s just the reality.”
Before this development, James raised eyebrows with his viral “Second Decision” ad with Hennessy, as fans thought it was about his impending retirement. But the King said he plans to play his 23rd NBA season, aiming to win his fifth championship alongside co-star Luka Doncic.
Pacers, Thunder suffer new injury blows
The Thunder have waited long for Nikola Topic’s NBA debut, but they will have to wait even longer, as the Serbian guard is out for at least four to six weeks after undergoing testicular surgery. The former 12th overall pick missed the entirety of his rookie season due to a torn ACL and was expected to be a key contributor in the team’s repeat quest.
With Topic sidelined, Alex Caruso, Cason Wallace, and Ajay Mitchell will all be tasked to help pick up the slack as backups for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. At least Oklahoma City won’t be pressed to bring back Topic fast because of their impressive depth.
The same can’t be said for the Pacers, though, as they announced that TJ McConnell will miss at least one month due to a hamstring injury. The 10-year veteran suffered the injury during Indiana’s first preseason match against Minnesota last Wednesday.
This means that the Pacers’ point guard depth is severely compromised, as Tyrese Haliburton was already declared out for the 2025-26 season due to a ruptured Achilles. With that in mind, Indiana signed Cameron Payne to a training camp contract and waived Delon Wright. Andrew Nembhard is expected to take a lion’s share of minutes at the starting point guard position, either way.
Antetokounmpo sends clear message to Bucks fans
It was recently revealed that the Knicks and Bucks discussed a blockbuster trade involving Giannis Antetokounmpo this offseason. But the two sides never got close to reaching a deal. Milwaukee made it clear that they will only consider trading Antetokounmpo if he requests a trade, and the Greek Freak recently shut down the trade rumours, at least for now.
“I’ve said this many times — I want to be in a position to win. I believe in this team, I believe in my teammates. I’m here to lead this team wherever we can go,” Giannis stated firmly. “It’s going to be hard, and we’ll take it day by day, but I’m here. Everything else doesn’t matter.”
“I’ve spoken with my teammates, with the people I love and respect. When I step on this court and wear this jersey, nothing else matters. I’m committed to what’s in front of me,” he added. “If in six or seven months I change my mind, that’s human. It’s allowed to make whatever decision you want.”
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE BASKETBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
