With both Luka Dončić and LeBron James finally healthy and relatively consistent on the court for the Los Angeles Lakers, the fan base continues to hold onto its hope of winning another NBA championship.
After being eliminated from the first round of the 2024-2025 Western Conference playoffs by Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Lakers made several roster upgrades during the offseason to address their weaknesses and build on their strengths.
Why the Lakers Need To Preserve the Health of Their Key Players
The Lakers have started the 2025-2026 NBA season relatively well, a pleasant surprise for the Lakers’ fanbase, who are accustomed to losing when James is sidelined. While James and Dončić appear to be free of any significant injuries, the overall situation for the Lakers remains a cause for concern.
Fans who have been following this season will know that James missed several weeks of action due to a sciatica back injury, a tricky issue that could potentially reemerge at any point in time.
Dončić has been healthier and more consistent on the court when compared to James. Aside from minor injuries, the Lakers star’s most notable absence so far this season was to be with his wife as she gave birth to their second child.
Both James and Dončić played in the Lakers’ most recent games against the Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz. However, some may notice that Austin Reaves has been sidelined from action for the past few games.
Given that Reaves is Dončić’s backcourt partner and arguably the second-best scorer for the Lakers, not having him healthy and available could hurt the Lakers greatly. According to the injury reports, Reaves has been temporarily sidelined and is dealing with a “mild” calf strain, an issue that is expected to keep him out of action for a few more games.
Reaves is not the only player on the Lakers currently injured. The team acquired NBA center Deandre Ayton this offseason with the belief that he will strengthen the team’s interior presence and somewhat fill the void left by Anthony Davis’ departure.
Ayton has yet to truly prove himself for the Lakers, perhaps by putting up an impressive performance that carries the team to victory. Unfortunately, Ayton is dealing with left elbow soreness, temporarily sidelining him with Reaves.
Finally, veteran guard Gabe Vincent is also dealing with a back injury and is expected to miss at least another week of action. Not having all three healthy, especially Reaves and Ayton, puts the Lakers at a minor disadvantage.
Although Los Angeles holds an impressive record of 19-7, they cannot afford to give up any games, especially in a competitive Western Conference. The Lakers’ fan base is left hoping for Reaves and the other injured stars to recover soon and return to action.
The Lakers beat the Jazz