James is dealing with chronic arthritis in his left foot as he prepares for his first season with the 76ers, Dave McMenamin of ESPN reports.
James' longtime trainer, Mike Mancias, is reportedly giving the 41-year-old's left foot special attention during his daily pre-practice routine, while also continuing to manage the lower-back issues that caused James to miss the first month of the 2025-26 regular season with sciatica. The arthritis isn't necessarily a new issue, as James appeared on injury reports with left foot arthritis last season, but Philadelphia has already discussed managing his workload and back-to-backs, making his availability worth monitoring throughout his 24th NBA campaign.