The Los Angeles Lakers finally caught a break on the injury front.
Head coach JJ Redick confirmed Saturday that star guard Austin Reaves avoided serious injury after undergoing an MRI on his groin. The update came just before the Lakers faced the Atlanta Hawks, kicking off a critical five-game road trip.
“Yeah, he did have imaging,” Redick told reporters. “He’s got a mild strain. His pain is really low right now. This is precautionary, given the nature of the potential for a more serious injury in that area. Don’t know when he’ll be back, but given that his pain is pretty low, I’d expect him to be back at some point on this trip.”
The diagnosis is a sigh of relief for a Lakers team already managing multiple injuries early in the season. Reaves had missed the team’s last two games with right groin soreness but avoided what could have been a major setback.
Reaves’ Breakout Season Interrupted but Not Derailed
Before his injury, Reaves was in the midst of a career-best start in his fifth NBA season. The 27-year-old guard out of Arkansas has been posting All-Star-caliber numbers, averaging 31.1 points, 9.3 assists, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.4 steals through his first seven games.
Even after missing two contests, Reaves still leads the Lakers in total points (218), assists (65), and three-pointers made (21) while ranking second in plus/minus (+46) behind Marcus Smart. His 48.9% field goal percentage is also a career high.
Reaves became the talk of the league during a three-game stretch without LeBron James and Luka Dončić, when he averaged 40 points per game, capped by a buzzer-beating floater against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Oct. 29.
His combination of scoring efficiency, playmaking, and poise under pressure has propelled him into early-season All-Star discussions.
Rising Star Drawing Big Free Agency Buzz
Reaves’ on-court surge has made him one of the NBA’s most intriguing potential free agents. According to multiple league insiders, including Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times and Zach Lowe of The Ringer, the Lakers’ breakout star could command offers exceeding $40 million annually next summer.
“If he has a good year, he could be a fringe All-Star candidate for sure,” Lowe said, adding that a max contract isn’t out of the question.
With the NBA’s projected salary cap increase, rival teams could potentially offer Reaves up to $42 million per season, putting him financially on par with established All-Star guards such as Trae Young.
“His market is going to be huge,” Woike noted. “If he plays well, there will be offers north of $40 million for him. With the cap jump, his max from another team starts around $42 million. It’s him and Trae — those are the free agents everyone’s watching.”
Still, Reaves repeatedly said in the past he wants to be a Laker for life, and the feeling is mutual with the Lakers, according to reports.
Maxi Kleber Cleared to Return, Strengthens Frontcourt Depth
In more positive injury news, veteran forward-center Maxi Kleber has been cleared to make his season debut after missing the first nine games with an abdominal muscle strain. The 6-foot-10 German big man, who joined the Lakers last season in the Luka Dončić trade, was scheduled to come off the bench against the Hawks.
“I’m gonna be ready,” Kleber told reporters following Saturday’s shootaround. “Just be prepared and be back out with the guys, get back in rhythm and routine.”
Kleber’s return bolsters a Lakers frontcourt that has battled inconsistency and injuries early in the season. The 33-year-old endured multiple setbacks over the past year, including a fractured foot that sidelined him for three months with Dallas before the trade.
“It’s tough, man,” Kleber admitted. “You sometimes don’t always get rewarded. I feel like I did put in the work, especially when it comes to the physical stuff, to stay healthy. But it is what it is. You just gotta make the best out of it and try to stay consistently out there.”
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Lakers Coach JJ Redick Reveals Austin Reaves’ MRI Result After Injury Scare appeared first on Heavy Sports.