The Los Angeles Lakers breathed a collective sigh of relief Sunday night after guard Austin Reaves allayed fears of a serious injury in the team’s 126-116 preseason win over the Golden State Warriors.
“I’m good. I’m good,” Reaves told reporters after the game, calming speculation that he might have suffered a leg injury following a third-quarter collision with Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski.
Head coach JJ Redick said the same reassurance during his post-game interview.
“[Reaves] got kneed in the posterior anterior calf — or somewhere around there,” Redick said. “I think he just took a knee to his lower leg muscle. I think he’s fine.”
Reaves had been the Lakers’ top performer before leaving the floor, scoring a team-high 21 points on 7-of-10 shooting to go with three rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block in just 23 minutes. His performance helped the short-handed Lakers — who were without LeBron James (sciatica) and Luka Dončić (rest) — notch their first preseason win.
Reaves Playing for a Big Payday
Reaves, 27, is entering one of the most important seasons of his young career. After declining a four-year, $89.2 million offer from the Lakers earlier this offseason, he’ll become an unrestricted free agent next summer — and he’s eyeing a deal closer to the Tyler Herro range.
According to NBC Sports’ Kurt Helin, “Reaves wants to be paid in the Tyler Herro range of $30 million a year (and Herro is a good comp in a lot of ways).”
Herro, who signed a four-year, $130 million extension with the Miami Heat in 2022, has evolved into an All-Star-level scorer and playmaker. Reaves has similar ambitions — and with James nearing 41 and Dončić entering his prime, this season could serve as his audition for a major payday.
Last year, Reaves averaged 20.2 points on 46% shooting during the regular season but faltered in the postseason, averaging just 16.2 points on 41.1% shooting in a first-round loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Lakers’ Dilemma: Core Player or Trade Chip?
While Reaves has repeatedly said he wants to remain a Laker, his growing market value and steady improvement make him both a core piece and a potential trade chip — especially as the team looks to build around Dončić in the post-LeBron era.
“If Reaves shows this season that he can be a high-level scorer next to Luka Dončić and step up in the playoffs, the Lakers gladly will pay that much to keep him,” Helin wrote. “However, if he struggles again, they may question whether that is the best way to spend their money.”
Complicating matters further is the looming specter of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future in Milwaukee. The two-time MVP’s public comments this offseason — including hints that he might reevaluate his situation if the Bucks fail to contend — have fueled speculation about a possible Lakers pursuit.
According to ClutchPoints’ Anthony Irwin, Reaves would almost certainly be part of any Giannis trade conversation.
“If the Lakers and the Bucks get into trade negotiations for Giannis, the first name Milwaukee is going to ask about is Reaves,” Irwin said last month. “And then it’s like, ‘Do you want Giannis or do you want to try to keep Reaves here?’”
For now, Reaves remains healthy, motivated, and firmly in the Lakers’ plans — but his future in Los Angeles, like the team’s championship hopes, may hinge on how well he performs this season.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Reaves Offers 4-Word Injury Update After Lakers Win Over Warriors appeared first on Heavy Sports.