The Lakers' medical staff determined Thursday that James has sustained a right foot tendon injury and will be re-evaluated in approximately three weeks, Mike Trudell of Spectrum SportsNet reports.

EDGE Analysis

James hopes to return by the end of March, as he'll avoid surgery with the expectation that he makes a full recovery through rest and rehab. The Lakers currently sit in 11th place in the Western Conference standings and will almost certainly need James to return the court to secure a spot in the Play-In Tournament. Role players like Troy Brown, Lonnie Walker and Rui Hachimura will likely see extended playing time in James' absence, while Anthony Davis (foot) and D'Angelo Russell (ankle) are expected to shoulder more of the offensive workload.