After a preseason where his absence was noticeable, news surfaced on Thursday that LeBron James would be out for a number of weeks due to sciatica, which is the surest sign yet of his old age.

His timeline of three to four weeks before being re-evaluated means he’s going to miss anywhere from six to nine games at a minimum and likely more than that as he’ll need to ramp up before returning.

While it’s a blow to the Lakers to not have a player who is All-NBA caliber, they are positioned to be able to absorb this injury and, perhaps, come out better in the long run, depending on the length and severity of the injury.

But that requires a number of people stepping up in his absence in the coming weeks to establish themselves. Let’s take a look at who those players are and what they must do.

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