Lakers Dealt Disastrous Blow with Austin Reaves Injury Update

Dec 25, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) shoots against Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers just got star guard Austin Reaves back from a three-game injury absence on Tuesday, in a 132-108 defeat against the Phoenix Suns. The 6-foot-5 Oklahoma product had been shelved with a left calf strain.

Now, unfortunately, that ailment has reared its ugly head again. Reaves departed halfway through LA's eventual 119-96 loss to the Houston Rockets on Christmas Day after appearing to reaggravate the calf.

Specifically, Mike Trudell of Lakers.com reports that Reaves has officially been diagnosed with a Grade 2 left gastrocnemius strained. Los Angeles will take stock of his recovery in four weeks. That does not mean he'll be back on the court at that point, only that the Lakers will have a better sense of his progress by then.

Austin Reaves has a grade 2 left gastrocnemius strain; he will be re-evaluated in about four weeks.

Reaves missed three games with a left calf strain recently, returning for the game at PHX on Dec. 23, before leaving at halftime of the Christmas Day game.

— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) December 27, 2025

This will absolutely derail Reaves' campaign to make his first All-Star team. He has emerged as the Lakers' second-best player behind only five-time All-NBA First Team guard Luka Doncic, while on a team that also includes (an aging) LeBron James.

Now, Reaves will be unavailable for such a long stretch of the season that he will likely not make the All-Star cut.

Los Angeles' Struggles

The Lakers have been struggling since James returned from a sciatica injury last month. The Lakers have dropped six of their last 10 games.

The four-time MVP's fit alongside Reaves and Doncic has been spotty defensively. Head coach JJ Redick slammed Los Angeles after the Rockets defeat.

More news: How Much Better Would Magic Johnson Make Luka Doncic? Shea Serrano Breaks It Down

“We don’t care enough right now,” Redick said postgame, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “And that’s the part that bothers you a lot. We don’t care enough to do the things that are necessary. We don’t care enough to be a professional.”

The next chance for Los Angeles to care will arrive on Sunday, during a showdown against ex-Lakers Russell Westbrook, Malik Monk and the rest of their 7-23 Sacramento Kings.

Luckily for the 19-10 Lakers, the Kings are worst team in the Western Conference by record, a mismatched conflagration of past-their-prime ex-All-Stars and vets along with some underwhelming young talent.

More news: Lakers Champ Horace Grant Gets Honest About Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant Era

Missing Reaves for likely the next month could prove incredibly costly to the Lakers, who'll greatly miss his creation both on and off the ball.

For more news and notes on the Los Angeles Lakers, visit Los Angeles Lakers on SI.