Lakers Get Disappointing News on Austin Reaves Return Timeline

The Los Angeles Lakers are heading into the first round of the NBA playoffs without two of their best players, and now the timeline on one of them has gotten a little clearer, but not in a good way.

ESPN NBA Insider Shams Charania appeared on The Pat McAfee Show on April 13 and gave an update on both Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic. On Reaves, Charania said:

"Austin Reaves, he's out for the majority of this First Round series, most likely probably the earliest for him is going to be that first week of May. So they have a tall task now facing Houston in this First Round."
Shams Charania

Shams on Luka:

"He spent the last week in Spain from my understanding, the majority of time in Spain, he underwent multiple injection treatments in that hamstring. My understanding is he'll be back in the states on Tuesday and they're gonna reevaluate him"

On Austin:

"The… pic.twitter.com/lIiLXz9m45
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) April 13, 2026

Reaves suffered a Grade 2 oblique muscle strain during the Lakers' loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 2, an injury that also ended his regular season early. The oblique is the muscle group that runs along your core, and a Grade 2 strain means a partial tear, which gets aggravated with almost every movement on a basketball court.

With Reaves mostly ruled out of the first round and Doncic's return still uncertain, LeBron James will have to carry this team against the Houston Rockets largely on his own.

What Austin Reaves Injury Means for His Lakers Contract This Summer

This postseason was supposed to be Reaves' best chance to prove he belongs in the max contract conversation. He put together a strong regular season, averaging 23.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game, and a deep playoff run would have gone a long way in making that case.

Reaves holds a $14.9 million player option for next season and is widely expected to decline it, entering unrestricted free agency this summer. That makes him eligible for a five-year deal worth up to $241 million with the Lakers, with his camp expected to push for a starting salary in the $30 million to $41 million per year range. The Lakers want him back and have made that clear.

When you are about to sign a deal that big, the playoffs matter more than anything. Teams want to know if you can deliver when the pressure is on, and this was Reaves' year to show exactly that.

Now he will miss most, if not all, of the first round. If the Lakers get past Houston, he could return for the second round and still make an impact. But getting past the Rockets with this shorthanded team is genuinely a tough ask right now.

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