{"id":113763,"date":"2025-10-24T08:34:54","date_gmt":"2025-10-24T08:34:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=113763"},"modified":"2025-10-24T08:34:54","modified_gmt":"2025-10-24T08:34:54","slug":"lakers-injury-jj-redick-gives-key-austin-reaves-update","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=113763","title":{"rendered":"Lakers Injury: JJ Redick Gives Key Austin Reaves Update"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"post-featured-container-id\">\n<div id=\"post-featured\" class=\"has-video wp-caption \">\n<figure class=\"h-responsive\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"attachment-featured-image size-featured-image wp-post-image\" src=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2242483455-e1761253230314.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=780\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 820px) 95vw, 780px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2242483455-e1761253230314.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=780 780w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2242483455-e1761253230314.jpg?quality=15&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1100 1100w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2242483455-e1761253230314.jpg?quality=35&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1350 1350w\" alt=\"Austin Reaves, Lakers\" width=\"780\" height=\"438\" data-img-load-time=\"1058\" data-dom-ready-time=\"1398\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Los Angeles Lakers\u00a0guard\u00a0Austin Reaves\u00a0is dealing with ankle discomfort but is expected to play Friday against the\u00a0Minnesota Timberwolves, coach\u00a0JJ Redick\u00a0told reporters after Thursday\u2019s practice.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI know Austin and I expect him to play,\u201d Redick said, per\u00a0Lakers insider Jovan Buha.<\/p>\n<p>Reaves was a modified participant in the Lakers\u2019 practice after he shone in their season-opening 119-109 loss to the\u00a0Golden State Warriors. The Lakers guard put up 26 points on 9-of-16 shooting, along with nine assists and five rebounds, showing his growing confidence and importance to the team\u2019s offense.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the ankle discomfort, Reaves has a knack for playing through pain.<\/p>\n<p>In one of their preseason matches against the Warriors, Reaves survived an\u00a0injury scare\u00a0after he collided with Golden State guard\u00a0Brandin Podziemski.<\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\"><em>\u201c[Reaves] got kneed in the posterior anterior calf \u2014 or somewhere around there,\u201d Redick said at the time. \u201cI think he just took a knee to his lower leg muscle. I think he\u2019s fine.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">In the season opener, the Lakers, behind\u00a0Luka Don\u010di\u0107\u00a0and Reaves, were competitive despite missing\u00a0LeBron James, still recovering from sciatica, until the third quarter.<\/p>\n<h2>Reaves Addresses Lakers\u2019 Ongoing Third-Quarter Struggles<\/h2>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">Even after his strong performance, Reaves expressed frustration with a familiar issue \u2014 the Lakers\u2019 inability to maintain intensity after halftime.<\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\"><em>\u201cWe\u2019ve just been bad in the third quarter,\u201d\u00a0Reaves said after the loss. \u201cLast couple of years for sure, but I think ever since I\u2019ve been here, we\u2019ve had a problem with the third quarter. So, we\u2019ve got to figure out a way to come out with a little more energy.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">Redick\u00a0addressed the same concern\u00a0postgame, challenging his players to take responsibility. Reaves agreed.<\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\"><em>\u201cThat\u2019s on us players, not the coaches,\u201d Reaves said. \u201cThey come in here and give us the answers to the test, and we just didn\u2019t come out and execute. We have to be better.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<div id=\"214d3eca494ed0c09f54e0ba9ea78f18\" class=\"embed_container\">\n<div class=\"lazy-embed lazy-embed--ssr embed-instagram-com lazy-embed--loaded\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DQGZd3TEvkK\/\"><iframe id=\"instagram-embed-0\" class=\"instagram-media instagram-media-rendered\" src=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DQGZd3TEvkK\/embed\/captioned\/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=656&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fheavy.com&amp;rp=%2Fsports%2Fnba%2Flos-angeles-lakers%2Freaves-injury-update-2%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A44170.299999999814%7D\" height=\"968\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-instgrm-payload-id=\"instagram-media-payload-0\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">The Lakers will have a chance to respond Friday in a playoff rematch against the Timberwolves \u2014 the team that eliminated them in five games in last season\u2019s first round.<\/p>\n<h2>Contract Year Adds High Stakes to Reaves\u2019 Season<\/h2>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">Reaves, 27, entered the season with more than just on-court motivation. He\u2019s playing the final guaranteed year of his four-year, $54 million contract, which includes a $14.8 million player option for next season \u2014 one he is widely expected to decline.<\/p>\n<p>ESPN\u2019s Brian Windhorst recently reported there is \u201ca 0.0% chance\u201d Reaves signs an extension and a \u201c99.9% chance\u201d he opts out of his deal next summer.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cReaves has one of the best value contracts in the\u00a0NBA,\u201d Windhorst wrote, explaining that current extension rules cap his raise at 140% of his existing salary, or roughly $89 million over four years \u2014 far below his expected market value.<\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">The Lakers have full Bird rights on Reaves, meaning they can offer him any salary up to the max to retain him, but competition is looming.<\/p>\n<h2>Reaves Dawing Interest From Multiple Teams<\/h2>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">According to\u00a0The Athletic\u2019s Dan Woike\u00a0on\u00a0The Zach Lowe Show\u00a0podcast, Reaves is already drawing interest from rival teams preparing \u201clucrative offers\u201d potentially exceeding $40 million per year.<\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">According to\u00a0<em>ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks,\u00a0<\/em>there will be about 10 teams projected to have significant cap space next summer.<\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\"><em>\u201cIf he has a good year, he could be a fringe All-Star candidate for sure,\u201d<\/em> Lowe said.<\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\"><em>\u201cAnd honestly, the max is not out of the question.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">Woike added that with the expected cap spike, Reaves\u2019 maximum salary offer from another team could start around $42 million per year.<\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\"><em>\u201cIt\u2019s him and\u00a0Trae Young\u00a0\u2014 those are the free agents everyone\u2019s watching,\u201d<\/em> Woike said.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Rising Star With Higher Stakes Ahead<\/h2>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">Reaves\u2019 rise from undrafted rookie to potential nine-figure free agent has made him one of the NBA\u2019s most intriguing stories entering the 2025 season.<\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">His mix of shooting, playmaking, and poise has made him a cornerstone of Redick\u2019s new system \u2014 and a priority for the Lakers to keep long-term.<\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">For now, Reaves\u2019 focus remains on the floor.<\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">Despite the ankle discomfort, he\u2019s expected to suit up Friday, continuing to prove his value on both ends.<\/p>\n<p data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">If his early-season form continues, Reaves won\u2019t just be one of the Lakers\u2019 most important players \u2014 he could be one of the NBA\u2019s most expensive free agents by next summer.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Los Angeles Lakers\u00a0guard\u00a0Austin Reaves\u00a0is dealing with ankle discomfort but is expected to play Friday against the\u00a0Minnesota Timberwolves, coach\u00a0JJ Redick\u00a0told reporters after Thursday\u2019s practice. \u201cI know Austin and&#8230; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":113771,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-113763","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.7 - 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