The Los Angeles Lakers are set to begin their preseason schedule on Saturday, October 7 when they go on the road to take on Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors. Everyone always wants to see LeBron James go against Curry and Co., but that will not be happening in this preseason game.

On Thursday, James told reporters at Lakers training camp that he will not be playing in this first preseason game against Golden State. According to Dan Wokie from the Los Angeles Times, LeBron plans on playing in half of the preseason schedule.

While he does not normally sit out of games he is healthy for, Los Angeles is taking a cautious approach with James this offseason. Given LeBron's injury history in recent years and the fact that he spent a lot of time rehabbing a foot injury this summer that limited him the final few months of the season, including in the playoffs, there is no reason for the Lakers to take a risk in a meaningless preseason game.

As far as how James' foot is feeling, he's made it clear that it is no longer an issue. Head coach Darvin Ham also echoed this notion, claiming on Wednesday that the superstar is 100 percent healthy ahead of the 2023-24 season.

“Without question,” Ham firmly stated when asked if James' burst was back, via Michael Corvo of ClutchPoints. “He's 100 percent healthy, looks fine, and he looks like third- or fourth-year LeBron.”

Since his arrival to Los Angeles in 2018, LeBron has missed 112 total games, just under 30 percent of the Lakers' total games in this span. Just last season, he played in a total of 55 games as a result of multiple injuries, most notably a foot injury he suffered late in the year.

In order for the Lakers to make it back to the Western Conference Finals and have a shot of competing for a championship, they will need James healthy and available. This ideology has factored into their decision to have him sit out of the team's first preseason game.

With LeBron out, the Lakers will begin their preseason games looking to evaluate their roster. Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt appear to be battling it out for a starting spot, and Los Angeles will also want to get a better look at some of their younger players in Max Christie and 2023 first-round pick Jalen Hood-Schifino.

Following their game against the Warriors on Saturday, LeBron James' next chance to play in the preseason will be on Monday, Oct. 9 in Las Vegas against the Brooklyn Nets.