Andy Hayt via Getty Images

Randy Jones, San Diego Padres Hall of Famer and 1976 NL Cy Young Award winner, has died at the age of 75, the team announced on Wednesday.

“With deep sorrow and heavy hearts, the Padres mourn the passing of our beloved left-hander, Randy Jones,” the statement read. “Randy was a cornerstone of our franchise for over five decades, highlighted by becoming the first Padres pitcher to win the Cy Young Award. Inducted into the Padres Hall of Fame in 1999, his impact and popularity only grew in his post-playing career, becoming a tremendous ambassador for the team and a true fan favorite. Crossing paths with RJ and talking baseball or life was a joy for everyone fortunate enough to spend time with him. Randy was committed to San Diego, the Padres, and his family. He was a giant in our lives and our franchise history.

“We extend our heartfelt sympathy to his wife Marie and the entire Jones family during this difficult time. RJ will be greatly missed.”

A fifth-round pick in the 1972 MLB Draft, Jones joined the Padres a year later, making 19 starts during his rookie season. During his time in San Diego from 1973-1980, he would win 92 games and make two All-Star Game appearances. 

In 1975, Jones posted the first of two 20-win seasons and finished runner-up for the Cy Young behind New York Mets ace Tom Seaver. A year later, the award would be his after a season where he went 22-14 with 25 complete games, 315.1 innings pitched, a 2.74 ERA, and a 1.027 WHIP. The lefty’s sinker was so effective that he recorded only 93 strikeouts that season and opponents’ batting average with balls in play was .238, according to FanGraphs, third-lowest in MLB.

Jones even earned the cover of “Sports Illustrated” that summer.

When Jones took the mound, Padres fans came out as shown by the nearly 12,000-person increase in attendance during his 21 home starts in 1976.

“It was a magical relationship that we had when I was pitching, the way the fans supported me in ’75 and ’76, and even after that,” Jones told MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell in 2018. “I enjoy them. I still look forward to seeing a lot of those folks.”

During his final start in 1976, Jones suffered a torn nerve in his left biceps tendon and needed surgery that offseason. He would pitch only 147.1 innings the following year and was dealt to the Mets ahead of the 1981 season. He would play two seasons in New York before being released. He tried one last go with the Pittsburgh Pirates, but was cut before the start of the 1983 season.

During his retirement, Jones became a mentor for pitcher Barry Zito with the longtime Oakland A’s and San Francisco Giants lefty going to Jones’ home for lessons for three years. Zito would go on to win 165 games, make three All-Star games, and win the 2002 AL Cy Young Award and the 2012 World Series.

The Padres retired Jones’ No. 35 in 1997 and he was later a part of the franchise’s inaugural Hall of Fame class in 1999.

Andy Hayt via Getty Images

Randy Jones, San Diego Padres Hall of Famer and 1976 NL Cy Young Award winner, has died at the age of 75, the team announced on Wednesday.

“With deep sorrow and heavy hearts, the Padres mourn the passing of our beloved left-hander, Randy Jones,” the statement read. “Randy was a cornerstone of our franchise for over five decades, highlighted by becoming the first Padres pitcher to win the Cy Young Award. Inducted into the Padres Hall of Fame in 1999, his impact and popularity only grew in his post-playing career, becoming a tremendous ambassador for the team and a true fan favorite. Crossing paths with RJ and talking baseball or life was a joy for everyone fortunate enough to spend time with him. Randy was committed to San Diego, the Padres, and his family. He was a giant in our lives and our franchise history.

“We extend our heartfelt sympathy to his wife Marie and the entire Jones family during this difficult time. RJ will be greatly missed.”

A fifth-round pick in the 1972 MLB Draft, Jones joined the Padres a year later, making 19 starts during his rookie season. During his time in San Diego from 1973-1980, he would win 92 games and make two All-Star Game appearances. 

In 1975, Jones posted the first of two 20-win seasons and finished runner-up for the Cy Young behind New York Mets ace Tom Seaver. A year later, the award would be his after a season where he went 22-14 with 25 complete games, 315.1 innings pitched, a 2.74 ERA, and a 1.027 WHIP. The lefty’s sinker was so effective that he recorded only 93 strikeouts that season and opponents’ batting average with balls in play was .238, according to FanGraphs, third-lowest in MLB.

Jones even earned the cover of “Sports Illustrated” that summer.

When Jones took the mound, Padres fans came out as shown by the nearly 12,000-person increase in attendance during his 21 home starts in 1976.

“It was a magical relationship that we had when I was pitching, the way the fans supported me in ’75 and ’76, and even after that,” Jones told MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell in 2018. “I enjoy them. I still look forward to seeing a lot of those folks.”

During his final start in 1976, Jones suffered a torn nerve in his left biceps tendon and needed surgery that offseason. He would pitch only 147.1 innings the following year and was dealt to the Mets ahead of the 1981 season. He would play two seasons in New York before being released. He tried one last go with the Pittsburgh Pirates, but was cut before the start of the 1983 season.

During his retirement, Jones became a mentor for pitcher Barry Zito with the longtime Oakland A’s and San Francisco Giants lefty going to Jones’ home for lessons for three years. Zito would go on to win 165 games, make three All-Star games, and win the 2002 AL Cy Young Award and the 2012 World Series.

The Padres retired Jones’ No. 35 in 1997 and he was later a part of the franchise’s inaugural Hall of Fame class in 1999.

HOUSTON — Kevin Durant is standing at the free-throw line. It’s the closing act of Rockets practice, and the slender 37-year-old is locked in a tense battle with second-year guard Reed Sheppard, veteran Aaron Holiday and two-way guard JD Davidson while classic R&B tunes fill the Memorial Hermann training center. Here, the only shots that count are the ones that don’t touch the rim, Durant’s second language.

Assistant coaches Royal Ivey and Josh Bostic are there to encourage the non-Durant participants, but it’s futile. Durant is a near-career 90% free-throw shooter and wins the competition with ease. Most afternoons end like this. Still, the routine, which has become a rite of passage, is more valuable than the actual outcome. There’s no downside for these Rockets to be near greatness, even during one of the most rudimentary aspects of basketball.

“Just being in the same gym with him, same practice and being beside him, I’m just in awe,” Davidson said. “Hearing him talk, seeing how he always works out at full speed, even at that age and the career he’s had, is crazy.

“He’s the ultimate vet, the ultimate brother.”

Durant’s presence, which the Rockets aggressively sought to acquire this offseason, is worth more than a simple competition, especially during a season in which starting point guard Fred VanVleet has been lost. The lessons on display from the future Hall of Famer have made an immediate impact on the Rockets, who are 9-3 and third in the West, and his growth as a leader is critical to the team’s success.

Houston is embarking on a brave, two-timeline expedition, one born from a heartbreaking first-round exit six months ago — and one few teams have emerged from successfully. Blending young talent with experience and striking a balance between the two requires an outside-the-box approach. Something that appears to suit Durant well.

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Durant’s 2007 draft class is now littered with retired players, a few NBA coaches and a litany of forgotten names. How he’s been able to last this long in a cutthroat league — while producing at an elite level — boils down to Durant’s uniqueness, doing things his own way.

To the untrained eye, his methods are unorthodox. But for nearly two decades, his approach has also been admired, adored and, yes, followed.

“He’s easy to follow because he’s the hardest worker in the locker room. When your big dog is that type of worker, it’s easy to follow,” Magic guard Tyus Jones, who played with Durant in Phoenix, told Yahoo Sports. “He’s a great leader — I know there’s a narrative about him as a leader, but there’s not one way to lead. You don’t have to follow a certain script.”

Durant’s leadership has been criticized in the past — notably by former players like Charles Barkley and even Kendrick Perkins, a former teammate — over his decision to leave Oklahoma City for Golden State, the collapse in Brooklyn and the mess that Phoenix became.

More than anything, I always wanted to be a guy that does s*** instead of says s***.Kevin Durant

In Oklahoma City, the team was centered around a youthful version of him and Russell Westbrook, a boisterous, unapologetic spirit.

“We didn’t know how to be leaders that young,” said teammate Jeff Green, who was a part of that same 2007 draft class.

The Warriors were already a model, established franchise with Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Steve Kerr, allowing Durant to simply step in and raise an already high ceiling. In Brooklyn, Kyrie Irving carried the torch and bore the brunt of public perception, with Durant and James Harden forming a support staff. And in Phoenix, his previous stop, Devin Booker had been cemented as the Suns’ leader for years. In other words, Durant never needed to be the loudest or most important voice in the room.

“More than anything, I always wanted to be a guy that does s*** instead of says s***,” Durant told Yahoo Sports. “You could talk loud as you want, but if you’re not going out there and doing what you’re talking about, your teammates are not going to really respect it. So I always erred on the side of shutting up and going to work, and hopefully that inspires. But if I need to say something, if I feel something and something is on my heart, then I’ll come out and talk.”

That changed a few months ago when Durant arrived in Houston, the centerpiece of the most expansive blockbuster trade in NBA history.

Rockets coach Ime Udoka, who had spent time with Durant previously in Brooklyn and on the U.S. men’s national team as an assistant coach, understood the impact of Durant’s leadership and spoke with the veteran about his new job requirements. His message to Durant, who has become more empowered to speak up over the years, was to share his thoughts and experiences with his new teammates.

“It’s a different situation for him,” Udoka said. “Being with a younger team, he has to be more vocal and more demanding at times. You got James Harden, Kyrie and a lot of vets around you — you don’t have to speak up or do certain things as much — but being with this group, it’s a different type of leadership. Not just showing it, it’s more teaching, putting your arm around guys.”

Kenneth Richmond via Getty Images

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Forty-five minutes after a home loss to Detroit on Oct. 24, a downtrodden Sheppard, fresh off a sluggish nine-point, three-turnover night on 3-for-11 shooting, trudged into Houston’s locker room head down, disinterested in his surroundings. For all the optimism that Sheppard had spoken to during training camp and preseason, he had missed 16 of his first 22 shots, coughed the ball up five times and looked anything like the confident shooter the Rockets had hoped to see.

Durant, sitting at his locker on his phone, still in his game gear, got up and approached Sheppard. He didn’t want or need to sit Sheppard down for a fireside chat; he had been in that situation before and understood the emotions running through the guard’s head. A few words would be enough to get the message across.

“Two down, we got 80 more,” Durant said. Sheppard looked up and nodded his head. October was too early for negative body language, not with what’s at stake in Houston.

It’s a different situation for him. Being with a younger team, he has to be more vocal and more demanding at times.Ime Udoka

That interaction served as a catalyst for Sheppard, and perhaps for the team as a whole. Since the calendar flipped to November, Sheppard is averaging a shade under 14 points per game on an impressive 53.5% shooting from distance. In turn, Houston has won nine out of its last 10 games after a slow 0-2 start.

The Rockets are in this position in large part because they’ve allowed Durant to be the best version of himself, which in turn has benefitted the team. Durant’s 25.9 points per game lead the team in scoring, and his .510/.400/.888 shooting splits are a reminder of the gravity of his offensive talent that this team so desperately needed. But this new partnership in Houston isn’t aiming to reinvent the wheel when it comes to Durant’s leadership, especially with the future Hall of Famer closer to the end of a stellar career than the beginning. His new environment has empowered KD to just be KD.

“I got more comfortable speaking up when I see stuff,” Durant said. “I feel like I study the game a lot. I’ve been through every situation and experienced every situation. So I feel like that’s given me more confidence to speak up when I see things and to help my teammates as much as possible. But it’s just been a natural progression of me just being comfortable in the locker room, and also my teammates being open-minded to hear what I have to say.”

At its core, Durant is a people person who strives to connect with others, regardless of their status — just peruse his social media. A few weeks after Durant was traded to Phoenix, he invited all of his new teammates to his hotel room before a road game against Dallas to officially break the ice. More important than getting to know the Suns as players, he wanted to understand them as human beings.

Rockets guard Josh Okogie, who was present for that bonding session when they were teammates in Phoenix, sees the impact of his leadership in Houston, too.

“Since he first came in, he’s been open and vocal,” Okogie said. “Obviously, a lot of people try to paint him as not a leader, but he’s just not a rah-rah guy. He just calls it how he sees it and lets guys know. You can call it how you see it with him as well.”

[Get more Rockets news: Houston team feed]

Durant’s desire for brotherhood has spilled over to his new locker-room mates. He shares a space with Tari Eason, who makes it a point to explain how much time KD has spent with him off the floor. Sheppard, whom Durant is particularly fond of, is constantly picking Durant’s brain. “Knowing the kind of person he is and how much confidence he’s given me is really cool,” Sheppard said. While on the road, Durant also enjoys taking his young teammates out to dinner to unwind, decompress and be themselves away from basketball.

“I’ve been on teams where you have young guys trying to establish themselves,” Durant said, “Which isn’t a bad thing, but sometimes that can get in the way on a team. [Here] you have young great players still figuring things out, so their approach to the game might change, and my approach to them might change. But these guys are humble, appreciative of being here and grateful to come in every day. It’s always fun coming into the locker room.”

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After games, Durant routinely clutches the box score during his postgame availability, reading out the stats of his teammates to the media and driving home the importance of the team approach. On the court, he doesn’t seek to dominate the lion’s share of touches, either. Despite being one of the most clutch players in NBA history, Durant is fourth on the team in shots in the final five minutes of regulation and overtime, according to Second Spectrum.

Following Friday’s emphatic 140-116 win over the upstart Trail Blazers, Durant admitted it was more enriching seeing multiple players with assists as opposed to one central force dominating the ball. That’s the essence and beauty of Durant, who offers a different meaning of the term “floor raiser,” lifting the spirits of others around him in Houston.

“I’m not a tap the glass in front of the whole group and get everybody to listen to me real quick on the megaphone,” Durant said. “But I pull a guy to the side here and there, say a quick thing that I got on my mind and move on.”

Houston’s impressive start — and Durant’s positive impact — has been refreshing, but an NBA season has a myriad of highs and lows. The Rockets’ depth, now without key reserve Eason (out for up to six weeks with an oblique injury) and Dorian Finney-Smith (returning from offseason ankle surgery), will be tested — with Cleveland, Denver, Phoenix and Golden State on the docket before Thanksgiving. How the Rockets navigate rocky stretches and rough waters, and how Durant steers the ship, will determine Houston’s viability. But there’s a growing brotherhood within those walls.

“It’s a camaraderie that needs to be built in the locker room, that’s my theory,” Durant said. “People might not feel the same way, but I just think that the camaraderie makes a good basketball team; knowing one another, understanding each other as human beings and getting to know each other off the court. I think that stuff goes a long way.”

The Los Angeles Lakers got LeBron James back on Tuesday. For at least the first night, it didn’t change how they did business very much. 

Behind 37 points and 10 assists from Luka Dončić, the Lakers erased a double-digit deficit against the Utah Jazz in a 140-126 win. Dončić is now averaging 34.6 points per game and has scored at least 35 points in seven of 11 games played this season.

James, making his season debut after missing the first 14 games with sciatica, finished with 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting, 12 assists, 3 rebounds and a turnover. 

Austin Reaves also continued his star turn with 26 points on 7-of-11 shooting, while Deandre Ayton had 20 points and 14 rebounds. And Bronny James made a 3-pointer for good measure.

The absence of the NBA’s all-time leading scorer had loomed for a full month for the Lakers, but they still managed to carve out a 10-4 lead before James reached the court. Their game plan during that time was essentially giving Dončić and Reaves the ball and having them go to work.

Combined, the Dončić-Reaves pair averaged 62.7 points and 17.1 assists per game with James out of the picture. On Tuesday, they combined for 63 points and 11 assists, with James taking over some distribution duties from Reaves. The hope now will be that Dončić’s ascension and Reaves’ breakout can continue while sharing the ball with James. Tuesday was certainly a good sign.

It wasn’t the quickest start for the Lakers, though. The Jazz jumped out to an 11-point lead in the first quarter and kept it for much of the first half. The Jazz couldn’t miss and James didn’t score until midway through the second quarter. 

Then Dončić arrived in the second half. The Slovenian posted 19 points in the third quarter as the Utah offense went dry. A four-point halftime deficit was an 11-point lead when the fourth quarter started, and a 14-2 Los Angeles run effectively ended the game.

However, the Lakers kept their top trio in the game well after that, either so they could get some extra reps in together or to send a message at the expense of the Jazz, whose record fell to 5-9. Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George led Utah with 31 points each.

The “Baseball Bar-B-Cast” is here to help guide you through this winter of MLB free agency, which began with a minor splash from the Seattle Mariners, who re-signed first baseman Josh Naylor to a five-year, $92.5 million deal.

On top of that, a record four players across the league agreed to qualifying offers of one year, $22.025 million. While the biggest fish in the free agency sea are still there for the taking, only a small number of teams are realistically in play for prized players like Kyle Tucker or Alex Bregman. Simply put, not many teams are willing or able to afford the mega contracts those players will demand.

That’s why, in the latest episode of “Baseball Bar-B-Cast,” Yahoo Sports’ Jordan Shusterman and Jake Mintz divided all 30 teams into nine different tiers based on how they plan to approach free agency, from the biggest spenders (Funny Money) to the most frugal franchises (Broke Boys).

Tier 1: Funny Money 

Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets

These two teams are willing and able to spend with essentially no limit, luxury tax be damned. For the Dodgers, the strategy has already paid off massively with back-to-back World Series titles. Their enormous payroll has sparked conversations about the spending gap in baseball and could lead to heated collective bargaining negotiations and a potential lockout in 2027.

“I’m interested in how evil do they get, right?” Mintz said of the Dodgers. “They have now won two in a row. The lockout is approaching. We could be operating under a new financial system in, you know, a year’s time. Does that impact the way the Dodgers approach this winter where they’re like, ‘This is our last chance to really go nut nut, and maybe Kyle Tucker’s contract is grandfathered in, let’s get him on our roster.'”

Daniel Shirey via Getty Images

The Mets, on the other hand, have spent big without much to show for it so far.

“I’m most interested in which of the two guys do they bring back: [Pete] Alonso and [Edwin] Díaz?” Mintz asked. “And beyond that, how do they seek to supplement the roster? They have some money coming off the books, but if they try and keep Alonso and Díaz, it’s less money than you think.”

Tier 2: Rich Men North of Richmond

New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Toronto Blue Jays

While this group isn’t afraid to open up the checkbook, they’re a tier behind the Dodgers and Mets. For now.

“Let’s not pretend like the Yankees are not still capable of spending more than everybody but the Dodgers and Mets, and maybe even outspend the Dodgers and Mets in some circumstances,” Shusterman said.

If the Yankees want to sign a big name in free agency, they might have to compete with a Blue Jays team that came within one win of a World Series title.

“Do they act like a behemoth?” Mintz asked of Toronto.

The Phillies, meanwhile, may have to spend all their money just to keep the band together.

“Because of the state of the roster and kind of the direction of their franchise, [the Phillies] arrive at an interesting point here where [Kyle] Schwarber is, of course, the top priority. [J.T.] Realmuto as well,” Shusterman said. “Is there another move? Is there a move on top of that other than just keeping this group together? Is it a Kyle Tucker?”

Tier 3: Have Employed or Do Employ Rafael Devers

San Francisco Giants, Boston Red Sox

By executing a massive midseason trade in June to acquire Rafael Devers from the Red Sox, the Giants showed they’re willing to make aggressive moves to get better. Yet San Francisco missed the playoffs for the fourth straight season anyway, while Boston surged to the postseason.

“The Red Sox, from a roster standpoint and a free agency standpoint, I think is more compelling because the guys they need to try and keep,” Shusterman said. “And the Giants, it’s just like, what are you going to do to move this forward?”

Tier 4: You Have Spent But Where Are You?

San Diego Padres, Texas Rangers, Houston Astros, Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Angels

This collection of clubs have handed out huge commitments to big-time players, with varying results, including San Diego’s Fernando Tatis, Texas’ Corey Seager, several extensions to Braves players or even the Angels’ deal with Anthony Rendon. But for multiple reasons, Shusterman said he’s confused and intrigued about where these teams are at.

The team in this tier that feels like it should be a notch higher? The Cubs.

“This team should be a real behemoth with the amount of money they bring in,” Mintz said. “And until they start acting that way, they will be here grouped together with the Padres, Astros, Braves, Rangers, Angels.”

Tier 5: Why Don’t You Just Meet Me in the Middle

Seattle Mariners, Arizona Diamondbacks, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Baltimore Orioles, Colorado Rockies

As we mentioned, the Mariners already signed Naylor to a sizable deal. But if they don’t make any other big moves beyond that this offseason, they’re still firmly in baseball’s middle class. Despite these teams slotting into roughly the same spending tier, there’s clearly a wide range of on-field performance here.

“These clubs, five of them actually are in relatively similar points where they’re trying to contend and one team is the Rockies,” Mintz said. “But we feel like the Rockies had to be grouped here because if [newly hired president of baseball operations] Paul DePodesta went out and signed Dylan Cease, I would be both surprised and I would be like, ‘that’s the Rockies.’”

Tier 6: Too Smart To Spend

Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays, Cleveland Guardians

They draft well, develop well and know how to get the most out of inexpensive rosters. But how do they get over the hump to succeed in the playoffs?

“They have earned both the benefit of the doubt and also kind of the collective frustration of, ‘Hey, you’re doing a lot of these other things really well, what if you just spent some more money on, like, really good baseball players?’” Shusterman said.

Tier 7: The Reds

Cincinnati Reds

They were good enough to make the playoffs, but it ended quickly with a lopsided series sweep at the hands of the Dodgers.

“They at least have more good things going on that you can be like, ‘Maybe you are just a couple players away.’ I think that’s maybe the most complimentary way I can phrase the Reds’ situation,” Shusterman said. “But also, maybe they don’t want to spend any money because they’re the Reds and that also happens often.”

Tier 8: Wrong Place, Wrong Time

Minnesota Twins, St. Louis Cardinals, Washington Nationals

These are teams that have spent real money at various points in their histories, but that won’t be the case this winter as they all embrace some degree of rebuilding.

“There’s not going to be a whole lot of sexy stuff at the big league level this year,” Mintz said of the trio of teams. “There’ll probably be some trades of veteran players away for prospects and as for that reason, anything beyond a one-year deal would surprise me.”

Tier 9: Broke Boys

Miami Marlins, Chicago White Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, Athletics

Could one of these teams break out of the bottom tier? Maybe the A’s signing Luis Severino to a franchise-record deal of $67 million for three years last season is a sign of things to come. Or maybe it’s an anomaly.

“Until they prove us wrong the way that the A’s sort of did last year with Severino, to some degree, we have to expect them to not spend money. … history tells us that they are not going to spend real money in free agency. So if they, if they want to change that, we’ll talk about it,” Shusterman.

The San Antonio Spurs are down another starter.

Spurs guard Stephon Castle is dealing with a left hip flexor strain, an MRI confirmed Tuesday. He will be evaluated again in one-to-two weeks, the team announced. He did not play in the team’s 111-101 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night as a result.

Castle went down in the first half of the team’s win over the Sacramento Kings on Sunday, and he did not play in the second half of that contest. He wasn’t clear himself when the injury happened, but he said he was dealing with soreness in his hip.

Castle has averaged 17.3 points and 7.5 assists per game in 13 contests this season, his second in the league after the Spurs selected him with the No. 4 overall draft pick out of UConn. He averaged 14.7 points and 4.1 assists per game last season while earning Rookie of the Year honors.

The Spurs are also without star Victor Wembanyama, who is dealing with a left calf strain. He is expected to miss “a few weeks,” too. Wembanyama has averaged 26.2 points, 12.9 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game this season. Both he and Castle each produced a 20-point triple-double in a loss to the Golden State Warriors earlier this month in a rare outing for a duo on the same team.

Without Castle or Wembanyama around, the Spurs still got a 10-point win Tuesday night at the Frost Bank Center. De’Aaron Fox scored 26 points and shot 10-of-20 from the field to lead the team, and Harrison Barnes added 23 points. 

The Spurs were also without backup point guard Jordan McLaughlin on Tuesday night after he went down with a hamstring strain in practice. Julian Champagnie entered the starting lineup instead.

The Spurs (10-4) have won two straight and have five wins in their past seven games. They’ll host the Atlanta Hawks next on Thursday night.

LeBron James is finally ready to make his season debut.

The Los Angeles Lakers star will return to the court Tuesday night for the first time when they host the Utah Jazz, according to ESPN. 

James has missed 14 games after being diagnosed with sciatica in early October. Sciatica is pain that travels along the sciatic nerve in the lower back and legs, often caused by a herniated disc. 

James sustained the injury during an on-court workout in late July or early August, and the Lakers have been cautious about bringing him back. He also sat out during training camp due to glute pain.

[Get more Lakers news: Los Angeles team feed]

“I had it two years ago. If you’ve had it then you know what the hell it’s about. If you ain’t never had it, people making jokes about it, I pray you never get it,” James said of his sciatica on Monday. “It’s not fun.”

James was cleared for contact basketball activities in earlier this month, and he slowly started working his way back. He participated in his first full practice with the Lakers soon after, and he spent time practicing in 5-on-5 sessions with the Lakers’ G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers.

He was reassigned to the Lakers from the South Bay Lakers officially on Monday and returned to practice with the Lakers with the hope to officially return on Tuesday night. 

James, who turns 41 at the end of December, is still a key contributor for the Lakers. Last season, he averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists and 7.8 rebounds per game while helping the team to a 50-32 record. They reached the postseason for a third straight season, but fell in the first round.

With the Lakers already having played 14 games this season, James’s streak of playing 70 or more games — which he’s done in each of the last two seasons — comes to an end. Before joining the Lakers, he had never played fewer than 62 games in a season. In his seven years with Los Angeles, he has failed to play more than 60 games in three seasons, not including the bubble season.

No matter how many regular-season games James plays, the Lakers need him fully healthy for the playoffs. Last postseason, he played in all five games before an eventual first-round loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. During Game 5, he suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his left knee. The injury would have kept James out for multiple weeks if the Lakers had advanced.

In his absence, Lakers guards Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves have led the team to a 10-4 record. Dončić is averaging 34.4 points, 8.9 rebounds and 8.9 assists per game. Reaves is averaging 28.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers confirmed Tuesday that nine-time All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo will be out “probably two weeks” with a groin strain. The San Antonio Spurs announced Monday that 21-year-old phenom Victor Wembanyama is dealing with a left calf strain that reportedly will sideline him for “a few weeks.”

The Dallas Mavericks are patiently waiting for 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis to return from a left calf strain of his own.

Soft-tissues injuries are running rampant less than a month into the NBA’s regular season, and Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was asked Tuesday if he’s concerned about their increase across the league — specifically, in connection with the uptick in the NBA’s pace of play.

“I’m very concerned,” Kerr said pregame ahead of a road game against the Orlando Magic, via ESPN’s Anthony Slater.

“The pace difference is dramatic. This team tonight [the Magic] has really upped their pace compared to last year. I think across the league, everybody understands now that it’s just easier to score if you can beat the opponent down the floor, get out in transition. But when everybody’s doing that, the games are much higher paced, faster paced, and then everyone has to cover out to 25 feet cause everybody can shoot 3s. 

“So we have all the data. Players are running faster and further than ever before, and so we’re trying to do the best we can to protect them, but [we] basically have a game every other night, and it’s not an easy thing to do.”

Kerr alluded to the data. The NBA is playing at its fastest average collective pace since the 1988-89 season, per Slater, who cited ESPN Research.

Kerr, who has coached the Warriors to four titles and currently has three players at least 35 years old leading his 2025-26 team, said Golden State’s medical staff believes wear and tear and mileage, as well as speed and pace, are all factoring into these injuries.

Tuesday marked the beginning of another back-to-back for the Warriors. They’ll play their 17th game in 30 days Wednesday when they take on the Heat in Miami. 

That span dates back to opening night on Oct. 21, and it includes 12 games away from the Chase Center.

[Get more Warriors news: Golden State team feed]

Never afraid to voice his opinion about on- and off-court issues, Kerr said he’s brought up the idea of shortening the NBA season “a lot” in league meetings.

The Warriors are currently on a six-game road trip, during which Kerr said they haven’t had a single practice. 

“Not one,” he said. “We’ve been gone a week or longer, eight days, not one practice. It’s just game, game, game. And so not only is there no recovery time, there’s no practice time. 

“What was different back in the day, you did have four [games] in five nights, which was not great, but then you’d have four days before your next game, and so you’d take a day off, and you’d actually have a couple of good practices and you’d scrimmage. So there’s no easy answer here.”

The Warriors will get a breather next week. They play just one game between Nov. 20 and Nov. 23, and that’s the beginning of a five-game homestand.

He said that’ll be the time for some much-needed work.

Because of the financial compromise the league would have to make to cut back on its jam-packed calendar, Kerr isn’t holding his breath for immediate change.

“I mean, the tricky part is everyone, all the constituents, would have to agree to take less revenue,” Kerr said. 

“2025 in America? Good luck, in any industry. Imagine some big company saying, ‘You know what? We’re not as concerned about our stock price. We’re actually concerned with employing people and giving people a stable job and making our product better.'”

He added: “Come on, that’s not happening. We know that.”

Paul George finally made his return to the court on Monday night. 

George made his season debut on Monday after undergoing offseason knee surgery, which knocked him out for the first 12 games. He did so against his former team in the Los Angeles Clippers, too, where he spent five seasons before landing with the 76ers last season.

George had 9 points and 7 rebounds in 21 minutes in the 110-108 win for Philadelphia. He was on an undisclosed minutes restriction. George shot 2-of-9 from the field and just 1-of-4 from behind the arc.

He came out hot, too, after rejoining the starting lineup. He scored the first five points of the game for the 76ers and hit a quick 3-pointer right away. 

But the Clippers responded with a 14-0 run right after that, forcing an early Philadelphia timeout. George only scored two more points in the first half, and the Clippers took a 10-point lead into the break. 

The 76ers slowly rallied out of that hole, however, and ended up taking the lead late in the fourth quarter back after a pair of quick 3-pointers from Quentin Grimes and Tyrese Maxey. The Clippers had multiple good looks to get back in it, however, but James Harden missed back-to-back looks at a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer. That allowed the 76ers to escape with the two-point win.

Maxey led the way with 39 points in the win for Philadelphia, and Grimes added 19 points off the bench. Harden had 28 points to lead the Clippers while shooting just 2-of-12 from behind the arc. Kobe Sanders added 17 points, too. The loss was the second straight for the Clippers, who sit at just 4-10.

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George played in just 41 games last season, and averaged 20.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting over 38% from 3-point range. During his career, George has had a history of injuries, causing him to miss significant time on the court. In the previous six seasons, George has played more than 56 games just one time — his last year with the Clippers. Whether it was load management or injury, George has not been the most reliable player over the past several years. George played in just 41 games last season, and averaged 20.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting over 38% from 3-point range.

Philadelphia brought George in during the 2024 offseason on a four-year, $212 million deal, and he was supposed to be the second mate of Joel Embiid to help get the team over the hump in the postseason. The 76ers have never advanced past the second round of the playoffs since Embiid entered the NBA. 

Things didn’t go as planned, with George playing only half the season and Embiid also missing 63 games with a knee injury. Once both players are back on the court alongside All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey, the expectation for the 76ers is to contend in the Eastern Conference. They entered Monday night with a 7-5 record without George this season, and they are 4-2 in the six games Embiid has been available for thus far.

While he’s not back to normal just yet — it’s unclear how long he’ll be on a minutes restriction — George is at least back out on the court. That’s a start, and a welcome sign for the 76ers as they try to avenge their struggles from a year ago.