Guard Austin Reaves’ development over the last few seasons has given the Lakers a true back-court running mate for star guard Luka Dončić.
Reaves was rewarded with a new contract earlier this summer, but now he’ll prove he can do it without LeBron James, the league’s all-time leading scorer and arguably the greatest playmaker of all time, beside him.
Austin Reaves Discusses LeBron James Moving On From Lakers
James, Reaves’ now-former teammate, has said he is leaving the Lakers but has yet to find a new team.
James has been tied to a final five of two of his former teams – the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat – as well as the Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Philadelphia 76ers.
With that in mind, Reaves was asked about James moving on. “I don’t know if I’ve honestly processed it yet,” Reaves responded. “I mean I kind of was thinking about it last night when I got here.”
Austin Reaves on LeBron James leaving the Lakers: “I don’t know if I’ve honestly processed it yet. … Starting a season without him on the team is going to be different for me. That’s kind of all I’ve ever known … Got nothing but love and respect for him” pic.twitter.com/hTBW3T3jmI
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) July 13, 2026
Reaves has seen his game rise to a new level playing alongside James. He averaged 23.3 points, 5.5 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 49.0% from the field, 36.0% from three, and 87.1% from the line.
That earned the 28-year-old a four-year, $185 million contract after he opted out of the final year of a four-year, $53 million deal, declining his $14.9 million player option.
Reaves went undrafted in the 2021 Draft after playing at Wichita State from 2016-2018 and Oklahoma from 2019-2021. He joined the Lakers as an undrafted free agent and has played with James throughout his career.
“Starting a season without him on the team is going to be different for me,” Reaves said. “That’s kind of all I’ve ever known is him being around, joking around, acting like he’s 15, but that’s his decision… I’ve got nothing but love and respect for him.”
James is a massive loss, but it leaves room for the Lakers to give even more control to their franchise player, Dončić, as well as to Reaves, who showed what he can do when James went down early last season, and Dončić was hurt late in the season.
Reaves has battled injury issues himself, missing 31 games last season and the Lakers’ first four postseason games.
Reaves will have new teammates, including big man Walker Kessler, who was acquired in a trade with the Utah Jazz, as well as free agent signings Sandro Mamukelashvili, Quentin Grimes, and Collin Sexton, giving Los Angeles plenty of new pieces to work with.
As he helps acclimate the newcomers to the Lakers’ system, Reaves has an important message for James. “Let’s play some golf soon.”
Once James finds his new team, maybe the two can make that happen.
