What is Austin Reaves' Timeline to Return to Lakers amid Calf Injury?
Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves was diagnosed with a "mild" left calf strain and will be evaluated again in approximately one week, according to Dan Woike of The Athletic.
The exact moment that Reaves suffered the injury is currently uncertain, as he played 40 minutes in the Lakers' 132-119 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday.
The 27-year-old previously missed three games this season due to a right groin issue.
Reaves hasn't experienced too many problems with injuries as of late, appearing in 155 of a possible 164 regular-season games over the past two years combined.
His upcoming absence is still a tough blow to the Lakers, as he's in the midst of a breakout 2025-26 campaign.
Reaves is averaging a career-high 27.8 points and 6.7 assists to go along with 5.6 rebounds per game, shooting 50.3 percent from the field and 36.9 percent from three-point territory.
His productivity has been a key reason for Los Angeles' 17-7 record this year, as the team owns a 118.5 offensive rating with him on the floor compared to a 112.9 offensive rating with him on the bench (via NBA.com).
Assuming Reaves misses exactly one week, he'd be out for the Lakers' upcoming games against the Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz before potentially returning against the Los Angeles Clippers on Dec. 20.
Until he's able to come back, Marcus Smart and Gabe Vincent should see expanded roles in head coach JJ Redick's rotation.
