The Los Angeles Lakers are searching for consistency. The team has dealt with heavy criticism as they alternate between good performances and bad ones. Some of the slumping play is attributed to injuries, particularly to scoring guard Austin Reaves. The Lakers’ latest injury report provides clarity on the status of Reaves and others.
What Is the Latest Update on Austin Reaves and Other Injured Lakers
ESPN’s latest injury update lists Reaves as out, along with young forward Adou Thiero. Lakers big man Jaxson Hayes is considered day-to-day.
- Jaxson Hayes – Day-To-Day
- Adou Thiero – Out
- Austin Reaves – Out
Reaves’ absence is significant for the Lakers, as he was on track to make his first All-Star team, although he may still earn the nod if he returns in the next few weeks. ESPN notes that “Reaves has been diagnosed with a grade 2 left gastrocnemius strain and will be re-evaluated in approximately four weeks.” ESPN lists his potential return date as January 26th.
Reaves has thrived as the Lakers’ secondary playmaker this season, as LeBron James missed the start of the season. He’s averaging 26.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game this season, while shooting 50.7% from the field. He’s also averaging a career high of 8.6 free throw attempts per game.
However, he’s also dealt with criticism before suffering an injury on Christmas. The Lakers are a poor perimeter defensive team, and Reaves has been a target for blame, alongside Luka Dončić. Reaves, in particular, has been called out by James’s agent, Rich Paul, on multiple occasions.
Paul initially questioned Reaves’s effectiveness in the playoffs, while saying his best fit with the Lakers may be as the team’s sixth man. More recently, Paul wondered if the Lakers would consider trading Reaves to help balance the roster. A likely free agent at the end of the season, Reaves will be in demand this summer.
ESPN reports that Hayes is currently dealing with left hamstring soreness and is having an underwhelming season. Hayes is expected to contribute on the glass and provide interior help defense, yet he’s only averaging four rebounds per game this season, and his 117.8 defensive rating is a career high.
A second-round pick in last summer’s draft, Thiero is averaging 1.3 points per game this season in limited action. ESPN lists early February as a potential return date, as the rookie is recovering from a right MCL sprain. The Lakers certainly hope there are no setbacks and that Reaves is cleared soon.
