Is LeBron James Playing Tonight? (Injury Update, Betting Impact for Hornets vs. Lakers)

The latest injury update for Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James for Wednesday's game against the Charlotte Hornets.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James. / Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James is listed as questionable on Wednesday in the Lakers’ matchup with Charlotte Hornets. 

James missed the All-Star Game over the weekend due to a lingering foot/ankle injury, and he’s officially listed with left foot soreness on Wednesday. 

Despite that, James appears to have a solid chance to play, as Lakers head coach J.J. Redick revealed that the 21-time All-Star completed the majority of Tuesday’s practice. 

Lakers coach JJ Redick said LeBron James completed most of practice today. Lakers listing him as questionable for tomorrow’s game vs Hornets with his ankle injury.

— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) February 19, 2025

ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Wednesday that there is "optimism" that James will be able to suit up in this contest.

Shams says there's optimism that LeBron can play tonight vs the Hornets pic.twitter.com/l2taPGAX0f

— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) February 19, 2025

The Lakers are favored by 12 points in this matchup, which is a sign that James will suit up, but bettors may want to be careful before wagering on Los Angeles until the Lakers star’s official status is released. 

Here’s a breakdown of my favorite prop for James if he’s able to play on Feb. 19. 

Best LeBron James Player Prop for Hornets vs. Lakers

• LeBron James OVER 7.5 Assists (-135 at DraftKings)

If the four-time champion is able to suit up on Wednesday, James should have a big game passing the ball. 

James is averaging 9.0 assists per game this season, and he’s cleared 7.5 dimes in a whopping 35 of his 48 games this season. On top of that, James has cleared 7.5 dimes in eight of his last 10 games, including one of his two games with Luka Doncic on the roster.

James is averaging 7.5 assists per game with Doncic, and he should be able to handle a Charlotte team that is 13th in the NBA in opponent assists per game, allowing over 26 dimes per contest. 

Should James sit out, the Lakers will likely lean on Austin Reaves and Doncic to run the offense on Wednesday. 

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on  BetStamp here.

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