LeBron James, still recovering from a groin injury he suffered all the way back on Christmas, is nearing a return to the floor, but reportedly won't play in the Los Angeles Lakers' game on Thursday against their cross-arena rival Clippers.

After Anthony Davis requested a trade from the New Orleans Pelicans earlier this week, there's been rampant speculation that he not only prefers playing with the Lakers, but that he's already decided to sign with the purple and gold as a free agent in the summer of 2020 – regardless of where he might be dealt before the February 7 trade deadline, or any other time between now and his first foray into unrestricted free agency.

Clearly, something big is about to happen for Los Angeles, whether it's James getting back on the court or the team making a blockbuster trade for Davis.

James, ever the media manipulator, alluded to that likelihood in an Instagram story posted Wednesday afternoon.

https://twitter.com/akashanav/status/1090736614391853056

It bears stressing again that no athlete has been able to convey underlying messages through the media better than James. He's used media scrums and post-game podium appearances to push the narrative he prefers for years, sometimes to tangible effect.

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Who could forget when he not-so-subtly sub-tweeted a struggling Kevin Love in February 2015, goading his new Cleveland Cavaliers teammate to “fit in” rather than “fit out?”

Point being, there's a thought process behind almost everything James says and puts on the internet.

The innocent, perhaps most accurate, reading of this latest post? That James, after the longest absence of his hallowed 16-year career, is ready to return to the Lakers.

The other, more exciting one? Maybe he knows the storm of a trade request will be bringing Davis to Los Angeles.

Time will tell.