The Los Angeles Lakers have listed Austin Reaves as questionable in recent games, but his return has yet to materialize.
That pattern continued Sunday night, when the Lakers fell 112-110 to the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden without their starting guard.
Reaves has been sidelined since late December with a calf injury. While recent reports and comments from head coach JJ Redick have pointed towards optimism, the organization has remained cautious, opting for patience rather than urgency.
Lakers Continue Cautious Approach With Reaves’ Return
Reaves was seen taking part in a light pregame warmup before Sunday’s matchup, appearing to test his calf, but he ultimately did not suit up.
The Lakers are nearing the end of an eight-game road trip, which concludes February 3 against the Brooklyn Nets.
Internally, the hope has been that Reaves could return at some point during the trip, and that possibility remains alive.
“I just would say he’s day-to-day, game-to-game,” Redick said postgame. “We’ll hopefully have him for Tuesday but he’s got to feel 100% confident.”
Before going down with the injury, Reaves was in the midst of the most productive stretch of his career. Through 22 games, he was averaging 27.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 1.0 steal per game.
He was shooting 50.4% from the field and 36.4% from three-point range, establishing himself as a central offensive piece alongside Luka Doncic and LeBron James.
He was playing at a level that would have placed him firmly in the All-Star conversation.
That importance explains the Lakers’ approach. Rather than chasing a short-term lift, the team is prioritizing long-term stability and ensuring Reaves returns without restriction or lingering risk.
Lakers Monitoring Progress Behind the Scenes
Ahead of Wednesday’s 129-99 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin offered further insight into Reaves’ recovery process.
“Austin’s been ramping up behind the scenes, playing in what they call ‘stay ready’ games, basically five-on-five with some of the bench players and some of the coaches, and so far there have been no setbacks whatsoever,” McMenamin said.
“But they want to make sure he’s completely comfortable by the time he goes into the lineup. So it’s not like a stop-and-start type of situation, where he plays a game or two then needs to rest because that calf isn’t feeling fully right just yet.”
Reaves’ injury was officially announced January 2, with a four-week re-evaluation timeline attached. McMenamin noted, however, that the initial window was never intended as a firm return date.
Instead, a four-to-six week absence was always considered more realistic for a calf injury that demands confidence and explosiveness to avoid re-aggravation.
Reaves is currently in the third season of a four-year, $53.8 million contract that includes a $14.8 million player option for the 2026-27 season.
Given his leap in production and growing leaguewide reputation, that number is widely viewed as below market value.
As a result, an opt-out is a realistic possibility, one that could see Reaves enter unrestricted free agency with multiple suitors, adding another layer of intrigue to his long-term future in Los Angeles.
Following the loss in New York, the Lakers fell to 29-19 on the season and now sit sixth in a tightly packed Western Conference.
They remain 3.5 games back of the San Antonio Spurs in second, while sitting level with the Phoenix Suns, who currently occupy the seventh seed and the play-in picture.
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