LeBron James Appears to Hint at Return With Cryptic Instagram Post

LeBron James appears to be gearing up for a return to the Lakers. After Tuesday's shootaround in New Orleans, ahead of the clash against the Pelicans, James was spotted on the court getting some shots up from the free-throw line, via ESPN's Dave McMenamin. 

Additionally, the 38-year-old posted a cartoon photo of himself in what appears to be a cryotherapy chamber on Instagram, seemingly hinting that he's making progress towards a return from his foot injury.

James has been sidelined since Feb. 26, when he suffered a foot injury in the second half against the Mavericks. 

He was wearing a walking boot after sustaining the ailment, but was spotted without it on Sunday night while in attendance at the Lakers' game against the Knicks.

Now, he's back doing basketball activities in the public eye for the first time since his injury. At the time of the injury, head coach Darvin Ham said James would be re-evaluated after three weeks. That timeline is quickly approaching, as the four-time MVP looks to make it back before the end of the regular season.

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Los Angeles has 14 games left in the season, including Tuesday’s tilt vs. the Pelicans, and the team is still vying for a spot in the playoffs or the play-in tournament. 

Obviously, getting James back would be a huge boost towards their hopes of avoiding missing out on the postseason for the second consecutive year. 

While the team hasn't provided an official update on his status, which makes sense given his original timetable, the 38-year-old appeared to drop a hint on his recovery via his Instagram post on Tuesday.