The Lakers open their preseason slate against the Timberwolves, headlined by the preseason debut for Bronny James.
However, LeBron James will not get the same preseason treatment as his 19-year-old son.
The No. 1 pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, James is entering his 22nd season in the NBA. He's still widely considered to be one of the best players in the league and is coming off of a season in which he averaged 25.7 points, 8.3 assists and 7.3 rebounds per game.
James is expected to be at full strength for Los Angeles' regular-season opener, but he won't play in Friday's preseason opener. Here's more on his status.
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Is LeBron James playing tonight?
LeBron James is not expected to play in the Lakers' preseason game on Friday night, ESPN's Dave McMenamin reports.
Lakers head coach JJ Redick said earlier in the week that James would play at some point this weekend, so he could make his 2024 preseason debut on Sunday against the Suns. Los Angeles has a break between its second and third preseason game — the Lakers will be back to face the Bucks on Thursday, Oct. 10.
The Lakers have 21 players on their preseason roster, and they have to make decisions to cut the roster down to 18. This gives other players more of an opportunity to prove they belong on the team.
The Lakers haven't had much turnover since last season, but they added two rookies to the roster in Bronny James and Dalton Knecht. Both suited up in Summer League and could see extended time in preseason.
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What time is Lakers vs. Timberwolves tonight?
- Date: Friday, Oct. 4
- Time: 10:30 p.m. ET | 7:30 p.m. PT
Los Angeles gets its preseason underway against Minnesota in Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif., which is primarily the home of the Coachella Valley Firebirds for the Arena Hockey League.
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What channel is Lakers vs. Timberwolves tonight?
- Date: Friday, Oct. 4
- TV channel: NBA TV
- Live streaming: Sling TV
The Lakers' first preseason game will be nationally broadcast on NBA TV. For those without cable, the game can be streamed on Sling TV.
Sling is the home for avid sports fans offering a range of sports channels so you can always cheer for your favorite teams with channels like ESPN, TBS, TNT, NFL Network, FS1 and more.
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Lakers NBA preseason schedule 2024
The Lakers have six preseason games before they open the 2024-25 regular season against the Timberwolves on Tuesday, Oct. 22.
Here is LA's full preseason schedule:
| Date | Opponent | Time (ET) | Channel |
| Friday, Oct. 4 | vs. Timberwolves | 10:30 p.m. | NBA TV |
| Sunday, Oct. 6 | vs. Suns | 9:30 p.m. | — |
| Thursday, Oct. 10 | at Bucks | 8:00 p.m. | NBA TV |
| Tuesday, Oct. 15 | vs. Warriors | 10:00 p.m. | NBA TV |
| Thursday, Oct. 17 | at Suns | 10:00 p.m. | TNT |
| Friday, Oct. 18 | at Warriors | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN2 |
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