Austin Reaves Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Austin Reaves’ MRI Shows No Serious Damage

March 1st, 2025 at 7:25pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Lakers got good news from an MRI performed today on Austin Reaves, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). Reaves left Friday’s game early due to soreness in his right calf, but the medical screening didn’t reveal any serious injury.

Reaves is considered day-to-day, Charania adds, and his status for Sunday’s game with the Clippers has yet to be determined.

Reaves was in the starting lineup Friday night, but he had to be removed after just three minutes. Coach J.J. Redick told reporters that Reaves was “experiencing some tightness in the calf” and was kept out of the rest of the game as a precaution.

Gabe Vincent and Jordan Goodwin filled in for Reaves after he exited the game, and they will likely see an increase in playing time until he can return.

Reaves is an important component for the suddenly torrid Lakers, who are on a five-game winning streak and have moved to within a game of second place in the West.

The 26-year-old shooting guard has become a full-time starter for the first time in his four NBA seasons. He’s averaging a career-high 19.9 points, along with 4.4 rebounds and 6.2 assists through 53 games with .447/.362/.867 shooting splits. His ability to move the ball and hit outside shots makes him a great fit alongside LeBron James and Luka Doncic in a potent Lakers lineup.

Lakers’ Reaves To Undergo MRI, Team Optimistic Hachimura Injury Isn’t Serious

March 1st, 2025 at 8:14am CST by Earnest Marshall

Lakers guard Austin Reaves exited Friday’s game against the Clippers and did not return due to right calf soreness, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. He subbed out with just under three minutes left in the first quarter and will receive an MRI on Saturday.

“He was experiencing some tightness in the calf, some soreness,” head coach JJ Redick said. “Was held out as a precaution.”

Forward Rui Hachimura missed Friday’s game entirely after he was ruled out due to a left knee strain he suffered on Thursday against the Timberwolves. Hachimura received an MRI on Friday, and while there’s no timetable for his return yet, Redick expressed optimism that the injury isn’t serious.

“It’s still not quite clear on when he will be available to play,” Redick said. “But we’re optimistic.”

The Lakers’ head coach later clarified that Hachimura has been diagnosed with left patellar tendinopathy and will be reassessed in one week, according to McMenamin (Twitter links).

In Reaves’ place, Gabe Vincent received an uptick in minutes and started the second half. Forward Dorian Finney-Smith took over a starting role with Hachimura out.

The surging Lakers will feel the absence of Reaves and/or Hachimura if either has to miss much time. Reaves has recorded multiple 30-point games since New Year’s Eve and is averaging 23.5 PPG in his last 11. Hachimura is a full-time starter when healthy, averaging 13.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per contest this season.

The Lakers have won 15 of their last 18 games to move up the standings and now sit just a game back of the second seed in the West.

Pacific Notes: Doncic, Lakers Offense, Suns Arena, Durant

February 18th, 2025 at 7:01pm CST by Dana Gauruder

With the shock of getting traded wearing off, Luka Doncic is eager to see how this Lakers season will play out. The time off during the All-Star break should have him at full throttle. Doncic averaged only 15 points in his first two games with the club after recovering from a calf injury.

“I think we can go very far,” Doncic said, per Grant Afseth of the Dallas Hoops Journal (Substack link). “Obviously, (last week) I felt a little bit rusty, two games in after my injury—turnovers, missed free throws, so I’ve got to do way better.”

Doncic was encouraged that he had no health-related setbacks after playing two games.

“It’s good. Still getting back in rhythm,” Doncic said. “You can’t really practice that five-on-five stuff. It’s way different in the game, but I’m just happy to be back out there and trying to win and play games.”

We have more from the Pacific Division:

With Doncic developing chemistry with LeBron James and Austin Reaves, the Lakers should become a top-three offense and aim for home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, Jovan Buha of The Athletic writes. He notes in that limited sample of back-to-back games against Utah, the Lakers scored 116.7 points per 100 possessions with Doncic on the court, higher than their season average. That could improve to the 120 points per 100 possessions range once Doncic settles in, in Buha’s estimation.
The Suns’ arena will be called PHX Arena on an interim basis as the naming rights go on the market, John Gambadoro of 98.7FM Phoenix tweets. The arena will be the host site for the 2027 All-Star Game. The franchise ended its naming rights agreement with Footprint.
Could Kevin Durant finish out his playing career in Europe? The Suns superstar didn’t dismiss the possibility during All-Star weekend. “I play in the NBA, but I also love watching the EuroLeague,” he said, according to Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops.net. “Barcelona would be a great place. Monaco would be nice too. For now, I love Phoenix. I’m staying.”

Latest On De’Aaron Fox

January 30th, 2025 at 8:41pm CST by Earnest Marshall

More than half the teams in the NBA have inquired on De’Aaron Fox since the Kings made him available for trade on Tuesday, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic.

Talks with San Antonio, Fox’s reported preferred destination, are going to be particularly interesting, Amick writes, with the Spurs potentially in position to push negotiations into the offseason in an effort to further evaluate their options without losing out on Fox to another team.

One potential sticking point in negotiations between the two teams could be the inclusion of 2024 lottery pick Stephon Castle. Amick writes that there is skepticism in league circles that the Spurs would include their rookie who has shown real potential.

Additionally, from the Spurs’ perspective, it may make more sense to wait until the offseason to make a move for Fox because Chris Paul is continuing to help elevate their franchise at 39 years old.

While Fox is likely to sign an extension with the Spurs if he’s traded there, other inquiring teams are likely viewing him as a rental (he’s under contract through the 2025/26 season), and the quality of their offers figures to reflect that.

The general mood of the locker room in Sacramento could impact the Kings’ timing in moving Fox, as Amick says multiple players expressed frustration that this situation is poorly timed since it coincides with Sacramento playing well under interim coach Doug Christie.

One player the Kings are not interested in acquiring as part of any Fox deal is the Heat‘s Jimmy Butler. The Kings “do not see Butler as the answer,” according to Amick. As has been well-reported, the Heat are trying to trade Butler ahead of the 2025 deadline and the Kings’ star point guard would be a logical target for Miami, given his Kentucky connection with Bam Adebayo.

Fox hasn’t requested a trade from the Kings, but his unwillingness to commit long-term led the Kings to approach his representation and put him on the block. According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, Fox and his camp would have preferred to reach this point this summer when teams are more flush with draft capital and room to make offers.

The Nets are described by Fischer as a team who can be ruled out for an in-season acquisition of Fox but could make a run for the one-time All-Star in the summer.

Regardless of whether Fox becomes eligible for a super-max this season by making an All-NBA team, he has no intention of signing an extension with the Kings, Fischer writes. While Fischer suggests that the haul for Fox wouldn’t be the same as what the Cavaliers had to give up for Donovan Mitchell, as an example, it might not make sense for the Spurs to surrender multiple valuable assets for a player who is interested in signing with them in 2026 either way.

Pairing up with Wembanyama is still Fox’s ultimate goal, fueled by representation by Klutch Sports’ Rich Paul. According to Fischer, that destination was also in mind when Darius Garland‘s future in Cleveland was called into question last offseason. The Spurs have also envisioned potentially targeting Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball or Chicago’s Josh Giddey to pair with their franchise center, Fischer adds.

Here are some other recent tidbits about Fox:

The Lakers aren’t a potential Fox destination because Klutch knows Los Angeles wouldn’t give up Austin Reaves in any deal with Sacramento, Fischer writes.
As has been reported, the Rockets are looking to play out the rest of the season with their young core that has them in No. 2 in the Western Conference. However, that’s not the only reason they’re not currently exploring a trade for Fox. According to Fischer, the Rockets are skeptical of Fox’s fit with the team, even though the timeline makes sense.
A potential Fox trade could cause veteran DeMar DeRozan to reevaluate his future in Sacramento, Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee writes. “Yeah, it’s tough because looking at the landscape, before I came here, those are the guys I talked to was Fox, [Domantas Sabonis] and Malik [Monk],” DeRozan said. “Those are the core guys that made it easy for me to make my decision to play here, and a key player, a key juggernaut in Fox, not knowing the future of that, it does make it tough.“

Lakers Rumors: Trade Deadline Approach, Vanderbilt, Reaves

January 21st, 2025 at 9:06am CST by Luke Adams

With the February 6 trade deadline approaching, the Lakers could take one of three general paths, according to Jovan Buha of The Athletic. They could use one or both of their tradable first-round picks to try to significantly upgrade the roster; stand pat or make a relatively minor trade, perhaps using their two remaining second-round picks; or launch a rebuild by tearing down the roster and trading LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

That last option is clearly the least likely, according to Buha, who suggests that trading away James and/or Davis if they haven’t asked to be moved would be against the organization’s “ethos.” And there’s no indication that either player will seek a deal out of Los Angeles within the next couple weeks.

As Buha said a few days ago in a YouTube video, his sense from talking to rival scouts and executives around the NBA is that the Lakers are more likely to do something small than to take a big swing at the deadline.

While that could change if certain players unexpectedly become available, the Lakers aren’t in a great position to address all three of their most glaring needs – a two-way wing, another play-maker and ball-handler, and a center who can protect the rim and rebound – using their remaining assets, given their limited trade chips and their lack of mid-sized expiring contracts, Buha writes.

Here’s more from Buha on the Lakers:

Los Angeles is “cautiously optimistic” that the impending return of forward Jarred Vanderbilt will help give the team more clarity on which areas and positions represent its greatest need(s), per Buha. If Vanderbilt’s return goes well, the expectation around the league is that the Lakers will focus on adding either a big man or a ball-handler, especially since there likely won’t be impactful two-way wings available in their price range.
The “all-in” approach, which would involve trading the Lakers’ 2029 and 2031 first-round picks, has long been the one favored by James and Davis, Buha notes, but acquiring another impact player would be difficult, in part due to their cap situation — the club can’t take back more salary than it sends out and can’t aggregate Dorian Finney-Smith‘s salary since he was recently acquired, so stacking contracts for a Jimmy Butler-type star earning the max would be challenging.
As Buha observes, Austin Reaves‘ strong play since D’Angelo Russell was traded has also lessened the need for the club to acquire a high-level third option. In the nine games since Russell was moved, Reaves has averaged 20.4 points and 7.3 assists per game with a .450/.390/.915 shooting line.

Lakers Notes: Redick, Reaves, Bronny, Jemison

January 16th, 2025 at 7:24pm CST by Earnest Marshall

Lakers coach JJ Redick challenged the Lakers to prioritize connectivity and communication on Wednesday before playing the Heat, but they faced a big deficit at halftime. According to Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times, Redick got it through to his team that they needed to talk more and play harder.

The Lakers fared better against Miami’s zone defense in the second half and came back to register their first win since Jan. 3.

“I challenged the team across the board today in our meeting about leadership,” Redick said. “And leadership — people think about talking, obviously being vocal, talking in the huddles, whatever it may be. That certainly is a form of leadership. But leadership takes many forms. And I think talk is a requirement of the job as a basketball player. Talk is a requirement of the job.”

According to Woike, Los Angeles’ Wednesday win was a sign of growth, with players taking accountability for things they hadn’t been doing.

We have more from the Lakers:

Guard Austin Reaves played a huge role in the win against Miami and he’s continuing to grow as a play-maker. Reaves is averaging 9.6 assists per game since Christmas, including a career-high 16 on Dec. 29 and 14 against the Heat. According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin (Twitter link), Redick said Thursday that Reaves is playing at an “All-Star level.” His season-long averages of 17.9 points and 6.2 assists per game would be career highs if they hold.
LeBron James continues to be thrilled about having Bronny James on the roster, even if the younger James isn’t playing much, Chuck Schilken of the Los Angeles Times writes. “Bronny doesn’t have to play basketball at all,” LeBron James said on the New Heights podcast (YouTube link). “It’s not like he needs the money. He can do whatever he wants to do. Like, if he wants to be the CEO of my company, he could be that. I’ll start teaching him right now to be that if he wants to. But he’s like, ‘This is my career … my goals and … aspirations and I want to play ball. This is something I love.’ I love that kid. He’s awesome.” Bronny has played sparingly at the NBA level, but he’s averaging 14.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game in the G League.
The Lakers signed Trey Jemison to a two-way contract on Wednesday, replacing Quincy Olivari. That deal is for two years, tweets Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
According to McMenamin (Twitter link), the addition of Jemison coincides with the coaching staff’s desire to play Anthony Davis with another center on the floor. Outside of Jemison, the Lakers’ centers on the roster consist of Christian Wood, Jaxson Hayes and Christian Koloko. Wood hasn’t played all season due to a knee injury, while Hayes has also battled health issues and Koloko (on a two-way) has had a limited role.

Lakers Notes: Vincent, Finney-Smith, Vanderbilt, Wildfire

January 8th, 2025 at 9:49pm CST by Arthur Hill

Even though the Lakers lost by 21 points at Dallas Tuesday night, the return of Gabe Vincent provided some good news, writes Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. Vincent sat out the previous four games with a strained left oblique he suffered December 28. He went scoreless in 24 minutes, but coach J.J. Redick was happy to have Vincent back on the court.

“Have missed his toughness first of all,” Redick told reporters before the game. “He’s someone that has, as the season (goes on), it seems like he’s got increasingly tougher on the defensive end. His screening takes care of the basketball. Another handler. And then he’s shot the ball really well for a sustained stretch starting with that Utah game (on December 1) when he was in the starting lineup. So we’ve missed him. He’s a pro. It’d be good to get a look at the group with him back.”

Price notes that before the injury, Vincent had been playing his best basketball since joining the Lakers in the summer of 2023. He averaged 7.3 points on 43.9% shooting in his previous 11 games.

Shake Milton replaced Vincent while he was sidelined, and Price points out that L.A.’s rotation is the healthiest it has been since acquiring Milton and Dorian Finney-Smith in a December 29 trade with Brooklyn.

There’s more on the Lakers:

Finney-Smith has only played five games since the deal, but he’s noticed that the Lakers aren’t communicating enough on defense, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN. They gave up 119 and 118 points in two road games this week. “We got to do a better job of talking behind guys, giving them confidence so defenders can crawl up in ball handlers and force them to the rim,” Finney-Smith said. “And we got (Anthony Davis) down there, so we got to use it.”
Mismatches have been a problem for the Lakers on defense, as Dallas repeatedly targeted Austin Reaves and Dalton Knecht with isolations, observes Johan Buha of The Athletic. The recent return of backup center Jaxson Hayes was supposed to provide another rim protector, but Buha states that Hayes hasn’t been good in that role since he was cleared to play. Jarred Vanderbilt will be reevaluated in a week and Christian Wood is expected to be back soon, but they might not make an impact right away. Redick said Tuesday that Vanderbilt will be eased back into the rotation, probably starting at around 10 minutes per game.
Redick said his family was among the many who had to evacuate Tuesday night due to a wildfire that swept through Southern California, per Stefan Stevenson of The Associated Press. The NBA released a statement regarding the status of Thursday’s scheduled game against Charlotte at Crypto.com Arena, relays Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). “We are in communication with the Lakers and Hornets and continue to closely monitor the situation to determine if any scheduling adjustments are necessary related to tomorrow night’s game,” league spokesman Mike Bass said.

Lakers Notes: Trade Deadline, Christie, Reaves, LeBron

January 5th, 2025 at 10:01am CST by Rory Maher

The Lakers have gone 8-3 since they moved Max Christie into the starting lineup last month, ranking sixth in the league in defensive rating over that span, writes Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. That makes the third-year guard highly unlikely to be moved prior to the February 6 trade deadline, according to Woike.

In fact, Christie is just the type of player the Lakers should be targeting, someone who can provide off-ball shooting, athleticism and perimeter defense. However, people around the NBA are quick to point out that just about every team is looking for players in that mold, Woike notes.

As Woike writes, the Lakers have frequently been linked to centers like Jonas Valanciunas and Walker Kessler, but acquiring a big man seems less likely after the acquisition of Dorian Finney-Smith, a floor-spacing forward who is capable of defending multiple positions. Rival teams are skeptical that the Jazz would even trade Kessler, preferring to keep the 23-year-old.

Los Angeles would also like to get a look at a second unit featuring a healthy Gabe Vincent and Jarred Vanderbilt — the latter is expected to make his season debut in January, while Vincent is currently dealing with an oblique injury.

Making an all-in move for a maximum-salary star seems very far-fetched, per Woike, as the failed Russell Westbrook experiment and the restrictions of the new tax aprons has made acquiring another massive contract unpalatable and impractical, if not impossible.

Here’s more on the Lakers:

Trading D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis and three second-round picks to Brooklyn acquire Finney-Smith and Shake Milton wasn’t just about adding complementary role players — it was also a way for the Lakers to see if Austin Reaves can develop into the third offensive star they’ve long been searching for, contends Dylan Hernandez of The Los Angeles Times (subscriber link).
As Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group details, Reaves’ usage rate has skyrocketed over the past few weeks, with the 26-year-old given more opportunities to run the offense. The Lakers have been far more efficient offensively when Reaves is on the court, especially lately, but he acknowledged there will be an adjustment period, Price adds. “I’m excited,” Reaves said. “I’m going to do dumb things. I’m going to mess up. I’m going to do dumb things and I’m going to learn from them. That’s all I can really do. I’m taking on this role on the fly, trading D-Lo, getting more on-ball reps. I’m just gonna learn. This is my fourth year in the league. Every day I can still learn something new. I’m really excited to continue to learn, to continue to grow and become a better player.”
Anthony Davis jokingly pointed out that it took him seven more seasons to accomplish the feat, but LeBron James broke Michael Jordan‘s NBA record for the most regular season games (563) scoring at least 30 points in Friday’s victory over Atlanta, as Dave McMenamin of ESPN relays. “It’s very humbling,” James said. “Anytime I’m mentioned with any of the greats, and arguably the greatest ever to play the game, super cool. It’s someone I idolized in my childhood, and I wear 23 because of him.”

Pacific Notes: Carter, Davis, Reaves, Schröder

December 26th, 2024 at 4:01pm CST by Rory Maher

Lottery pick Devin Carter appears to be nearing his season debut for the Kings.

Sources tell Sean Cunningham of Fox 40 Sacramento that Carter, who underwent surgery in July to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder, has been cleared for “unrestricted basketball activity.” The team confirmed the news in a press release (Twitter link via James Ham of The Kings Beat).

The former Providence star is expected to be assigned soon to Sacramento’s G League affiliate in Stockton to participate in live play, Cunningham reports.

The Kings announced in November that Carter had been cleared for unrestricted shooting. When he underwent surgery, Carter was given a return timeline of six months, and he seems to be right on track in his recovery process.

Here’s more from the Pacific:

Anthony Davis tells Dave McMenamin of ESPN he’s confident the left ankle sprain he experienced on Wednesday won’t keep him out for the Lakers‘ next matchup (Twitter link). “I’ll be OK. I am playing against SAC on Saturday,” Davis said. The star big man missed most of yesterday’s game with the injury.
Austin Reaves says he’s “not really an emotional person” but he nearly teared up after notching a 26-point triple-double and making a game-winning layup in the Lakers‘ Christmas victory over Golden State, writes Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. “I know all my people back home are locked in and sitting around with family watching the game and that means a lot to me. I say it all the time, I’m not necessarily supposed to be in this position,” said Reaves, who went undrafted in 2021 and wasn’t heavily recruited coming out of high school. “I got lucky, got my foot in the door and took advantage of an opportunity. And now I’m sitting here … on Christmas with a game-winner and a triple-double, and really the win that matters the most to me.”
Veteran guard Dennis Schröder is still adjusting to his new role after being traded to the Warriors less than two weeks ago, he tells Marc J. Spears of Andscape. An impending free agent, Schröder has struggled in his first four games with Golden State after putting up some of the best numbers of his career this season with Brooklyn. He says he doesn’t mind switching teams so many times over the past several years. “Twelve years in, I don’t really care no more,” Schröder said. “As long as I’m somewhere where I’m wanted and people appreciate me, and that is what I’ve had so far from the coaches. Steve Kerr is one of the best coaches. For him to believe in me like that, everybody in the organization telling me, ‘You kicked our ass the last couple of years.’ Of course, that is great. If I can stick here, cool. But if not, then I will move on to next city and organization. I don’t really mind. There are 400 people out of eight billion who play in the NBA. I don’t take those moments for granted. I can play 25, 30, 35 minutes every night. I don’t care what nobody has to say. You played on eight teams. That’s fine. I’m really blessed. I have more money to spend and help my family.”

Lakers Rumors: Trade Targets, LeBron, Davis, Bronny, Hachimura

December 17th, 2024 at 12:12pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers are expected to be one of the most active buyers on the trade market during the 2024/25 season, though it remains unclear how much of their available draft capital they’re willing to move and how significant a deal they’ll make, says Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

As Buha notes, the Lakers were also considered likely to buy last season, but ultimately stood pat at the February trade deadline, choosing not to surrender a first-round pick. However, there’s hope that Golden State’s deal for Dennis Schröder (which saw the Warriors give up three second-round picks and get one back) may be a signal that teams’ asking prices for useful role players will be more modest this time around.

The Lakers are believed to be in the market for three kinds of players, according to Buha: a “physical, defensive-minded” center, a three-and-D wing, and an athletic guard with some size who can defend at the point of attack. As Buha writes, players the Lakers have been linked to in the past, including Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas and Nets wings Cameron Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith, are among the targets who would make sense at this season’s deadline.

Jazz guard Collin Sexton and center Walker Kessler, Raptors swingman Bruce Brown, Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant and center Robert Williams, and Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma are some of the other potential players of interest who have come up in Buha’s conversations with team and league sources. However, the Lakers aren’t expected to be in on former All-Stars like Jimmy Butler, Zach LaVine, and Brandon Ingram, Buha adds.

Here’s more on the Lakers and their approach to the trade deadline:

Unsurprisingly, the Lakers aren’t considering trading LeBron James and Anthony Davis and almost certainly wouldn’t do so unless they asked to be dealt, sources tell Buha. Other players unlikely to be moved include Austin Reaves, Max Christie, and Dalton Knecht, who are viewed as potential long-term pieces.
While Bronny James isn’t untouchable, he’s not expected to be included in a trade that doesn’t involve his father, sources tell The Athletic.
One or more of the Lakers’ four mid-sized contracts – D’Angelo Russell ($18.69MM cap hit), Rui Hachimura ($17MM), Gabe Vincent ($11MM), Jarred Vanderbilt ($10.71MM) – figures to be included in any deal of note this season. Of those players, Hachimura looks like the one the Lakers would least want to move, Buha writes, though the forward would probably also have the most trade value of the four. Russell hasn’t drawn significant interest from potential suitors during previous discussions, Vincent has dealt with injuries and has struggled offensively since joining the Lakers, and Vanderbilt has yet to make his season debut as he recovers from offseason surgeries on both feet.