Is LeBron James playing tonight against the Phoenix Suns? Latest injury update from Los Angeles Lakers (Oct. 26)

LeBron James is expected to play against the Phoenix Suns on October 26. The veteran superstar is not currently on the Los Angeles Lakers injury report. LeBron will want to help his team secure their first win of the season following a disappointing loss to the Denver Nuggets on opening night.

Phoenix could be without Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, as both players are listed as doubtful on their injury report. Beal missed the Suns' opening night win against the Golden State Warriors, while Booker has been dealing with left foot soreness. Should both All-Stars miss the game, the Lakers' chances of getting into the win column will rise dramatically.

LeBron and the Lakers have high expectations to shoulder this season. Rob Pelinka has done a fantastic job of re-tooling the roster on the fly. Pelinka made a flurry of moves at the February trade deadline and followed that up by making smart decisions throughout the offseason. The LA Lakers are viewed as championship contenders as a result.

However, with so many new faces and new ideas being implemented by the coaching staff, it may take a few months to see the Lakers at their best. The NBA season is long, so some early struggles can be rectified if the team figures things out quickly.

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Darvin Ham reveals the Los Angeles Lakers will keep LeBron James on a minutes restriction

At age 38, LeBron James is firmly in the final stage of his illustrious career. LeBron has struggled with a foot injury over the last 12 months, too. As such, Darvin Ham has revealed the veteran superstar will be on a season-long minutes restriction so the Lakers can keep him fresh for the playoffs.

“In all likelihood, yes," Ham told reporters. "Again, it’s gonna be a day-by-day process, gauged on how he’s feeling, getting communication from him, our training staff and medical staff. We communicate and collaborate … and again, it’s easy with him.

“You get caught up in the emotion of the game and you tend to forget, and you want him to play in these long stretches. But in order for him to be as effective as possible, we have to be mindful of the minute output and how long his stretches are.”

Saving LeBron's energy for the postseason makes sense for the Lakers. Sometimes, the veteran superstar is tasked with taking over a game and putting his team on his back. Saving those performances for when a potential championship run on the line is wise, rather than risk burning out the aging superstar during the regular season.