Reports: LeBron James hoping to return before end of regular season

LeBron James (foot) has missed the Lakers’ last 12 games.

The Los Angeles Lakers could have LeBron James back in the mix before the end of the regular season, per multiple reports.

On Thursday, the team announced that James has started to progress with on-court activity and is on a “gradual basketball movement progression,” while the NBA on TNT’s Chris Haynes reports James is hoping to make his return for the final few games of the 2022-23 season.

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James hopes to make his return in the final few games of the regular season, league sources tell @NBAonTNT, @BleacherReport.

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) March 23, 2023

Update on LeBron:

While there is no timeline for a return to game action, LeBron has started to progress with gradual basketball movement, and with on-court activity.

— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) March 23, 2023

There’s an increasing optimism that Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James could return to play “a few” games in the final week of the regular season, sources tell ESPN. James has been out since suffering a right foot tendon injury on February 26. https://t.co/3lYNX6MA2Z

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 23, 2023

Lakers star LeBron James (foot tendon injury) has begun on-court activity and team says there's no timeline yet for return. Sources say James is hopeful for a return within the final 3-to-4 games of the regular season.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 23, 2023

James took to Twitter shortly after news of his status update was reported and said: “There wasn’t an evaluation today and there hasn’t been any target date for my return. I’m just working around the clock, every day(3X a day) to give myself to best chance of coming back full strength whenever that is. God bless y’all sources. I speak for myself!”

There wasn’t an evaluation today and there hasn’t been any target date for my return. I’m just working around the clock, every day(3X a day) to give myself to best chance of coming back full strength whenever that is. God bless y’all sources. ‍♂️ I speak for myself!

— LeBron James (@KingJames) March 23, 2023

James has been out of the lineup since the end of February with a right foot tendon injury, but the Lakers have stayed in the thick of the Play-In Tournament chase with a 7-6 record during his absence. At 36-37, Los Angeles has won three of its last five games and is No. 10 in the Western Conference standings, but just 1 1/2 games behind the No. 6-seeded Golden State Warriors.

James played 37 minutes in the Lakers’ 111-108 win at Dallas on Feb. 26, helping Los Angeles rally from a 27-point deficit. But he left the arena with a pronounced limp.

He leads the Lakers in scoring at 29.5 points per game, and said at the All-Star break earlier this month that the team’s closing stretch this season would be some of the most important games he has played — noting he didn’t want to miss the postseason for a second consecutive year.

Big man Anthony Davis has stepped up admirably during James’ absence, posting 26.3 ppg, 12.6 rpg, 2.8 apg and 2.1 bpg, appearing in 10 of the Lakers’ 12 games without James.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.