Austin Reaves hasn’t played in 2026 due to this Grade 2 calf strain, but that will soon change.
Reaves’ four-week absence due to this injury will be up soon, and Lakers head coach JJ Redick gave a positive update on his guard before the Lakers played the Nuggets on Tuesday.
Redick indicated that Reaves’ recovery has been going well and that he would return to play during LA’s current road trip.
The Lakers’ eight-game road trip is set to end on Feb. 1, so barring a setback, Reaves will be back by that date at the latest.
This calf situation has been an issue for Reaves all year long. Earlier in the season, Reaves missed a week of play due to a mild calf strain. The Lakers claimed they were being “cautious” with the injury, but he returned for just two games before suffering his most recent setback.
Once Reaves does return, the Lakers will get back one of their best players.
This season, Reaves is averaging 26.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game. Those are all career-highs for the five-year player.
When he’s back in the lineup, the Lakers can finally see what they can be with their big three featuring LeBron James, Luka Dončić and Reaves.
So far, this trio has played together in just eight games, totaling 140 minutes.
While Reaves being back is great news, he did lose the opportunity for any individual glory due to his time off. Revaes has already missed 19 games, making him officially ineligible for any end-of-season awards.
It seems unfair that Reaves will be unable to qualify for All-NBA accolades due to missing games, since his play certainly warrants such prestige.
But those are the rules, at least for now.
Considering how much of a team player Reaves is, he likely doesn’t care about those awards and is just thrilled to be returning to play for the purple and gold.
With nearly half of the season left, there is still time for Reaves to have a successful year and give the Lakers the best chance at being playoff contenders.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
