Lakers Announce Injury Update on Austin Reaves Ahead of Hawks Game

Jan 7, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) moves to the basket against Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers have made a surprise update on the injury fate of shooting guard Austin Reaves ahead of their road clash against the Atlanta Hawks.

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Per Mike Trudell of Lakers.com and Spectrum SportsNet, the 6-foot-5 Oklahoma product will miss a third straight game as he grapples with a lingering groin strain.

Austin Reaves (right groin strain) is listed as out for tomorrow’s game at Atlanta.

— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) November 7, 2025

The 6-foot-5 swingman had been on an absolute tear prior to the groin issue. Through seven healthy games, Reaves has been averaging 31.1 points on .489/.344/.903 shooting splits, 9.3 assists, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.4 steals a night.

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Reaves, 27, has a player option worth $14.9 million for the 2026-27 season.

Provided he can stay healthy and still produce at least at the level he was last season (more reasonable averages of 20.2 points on .460/.377/.877 shooting splits, 5.8 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.1 swipes a night), Reaves seems likely to earn a massive raise. Pundits had projected Reaves could fetch something in the range of $40 million annually next summer should he decline the option.

He has stepped up in all facets of his offense this year, growing as a clutch scorer, a distributor and a free throw shooter. Even if the numbers do level off a bit when 21-time All-NBA superstar power forward LeBron James returns from the sciatica issue that has kept him on the shelf all season, Reaves has exhibited enough year-over-year growth to suggest that he deserves more touches than he got in 2024-25.

Reaves vs James

At this point, given James' age (he'll be 41 next month) and mileage, Reaves is looking like the more reliable future pairing option next to Luka Doncic. Both Reaves and James could reach unrestricted free agency next summer. James, after failing to come to terms with the Lakers on a new one-plus-one contract over the summer, will be a free agent. Barring a catastrophic injury, Reaves would essentially be losing money if he opted in to his current below-market deal for next season.

Between the two stars, the Lakers' offseason priority have become clear. Reaves' age lines up far better with the 26-year-old Doncic's than James' does. Doncic is the Lakers' key building block of the future, but even on the Dallas Mavericks he was at his best playing alongside another elite ball handling guard. Los Angeles just might have that in-house already.

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