At 41, LeBron James is definitely entering the twilight of his career. Gone are the days when the boy from Akron was averaging 60-70 games per season. The veteran has been involved in only 44 games this season with the Lakers. A right sciatica issue was hampering his performance when the season started in October 2025. And since January 2026, he’s been dealing with left foot arthritis and, more recently, a left elbow contusion.

And while many were looking for a ray of hope, Coach JJ Redick’s latest update on Bron’s recovery status will further dampen the morale in the Lakers fanbase.

“LeBron was out of practice today. He was obviously present here and was in the film, and everybody else was a full participant,” Redick told reporters.

“Nothing live today besides the stay-ready game, but sometimes, when you’re winning, you can forget to clean up stuff. So today was very much a cleanup day for some stuff defensively that we’ve had a little slippage on, and then a couple of things offensively.”

The Los Angeles Lakers have been without their cornerstone since their March 5 matchup on the road against the Denver Nuggets. The veteran sustained a bruised left elbow as he fell awkwardly after mid-air contact from Nikola Jokic in a layup attempt late in Q4. Besides that, James is also dealing with flare up of his left foot arthritis condition over the weekend.

The Lakers superstar has been sidelined for the last two games (Indiana Pacers, Mar 6, and the New York Knicks, Mar 8). Coach Redick labeled his status as ‘day-to-day’ after practice. His fitness will be assessed before tip-off tomorrow vs. the Timberwolves.

However, calling James the cornerstone of the franchise has come under doubt. In his absence, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves have been in excellent form in recent games, particularly impressing in the win over the Knicks yesterday, as the two combined for 60 points. Also, Doncic has 79 points, while Reaves has 44 over the last two games. And further stats reveal that the pair have thrived when LeBron James has been away, boasting a 9-2 record in his absence.

So, LeBron’s availability has taken a rather backseat these days with experts expressing concern, especially over his foot arthritis. After all, how often do we see players miss games because of such an issue? As former NBA star DeMarcus Cousins said:

“He’s shown up throughout his entire career. Obviously, he’s a lot older. I mean, he’s basically an old man. He’s dealing with arthritis in his foot. That sounds like some old man s—.”

All hopes to tackle the Timberwolves, who are the favorites to win heading into the matchup against the Lakers, have been pinned on the duo of Doncic and Reaves.

Redick Highlights Defensive Work Ahead of Timberwolves Showdown

The Lakers will need to be at their defensive best if they intend to thwart the likes of Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert, and Julius Randle on Tuesday. Coach Redick is aware of that and had his team run some defensive drills in practice today.

“We struggled early in the season and at times last year with our squared reds. So the like size, pick and rolls, the follow actions, and all that stuff. As well as off-ball screening. And we’ve seen significant improvement in that, and it’s something that we talk about and show and do every single day, and our guys are building that,” Redick added.

“Sometimes, when you’re winning you can forget to clean up stuff,” Redick said. “So [Monday] was very much a clean up day for some stuff defensively that we’ve had a little slippage on.”

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Minnesota was humbled in its last game vs. the Orlando Magic on Saturday. They will be eager to return to their winning ways. Ant’s tendency to step up his game when playing against top opposition will make things harder for the hosts at the Crypto.com Arena.

Doncic, Reaves, and Marcus Smart must lock in to upset the 40-24 Timberwolves. The Lakers are currently 39-25 and find themselves in fifth position in the Western Conference table. A win tomorrow would put them on par with their opponents, who currently hold the third seed.