Lakers Injury News, Latest on Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura's Timelines to Return

Los Angeles Lakers fans will have to wait a little longer to see Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura return to the lineup.

Lakers head coach JJ Redick told reporters Sunday that neither will join the team for the upcoming two-game road trip against the New Orleans Pelicans (Tuesday) and San Antonio Spurs (Wednesday).

Instead, they will continue to rehab in Los Angeles.

Reaves last appeared during the Christmas Day loss to the Houston Rockets, although he played just 15 minutes after playing 22 minutes in the previous game against the Phoenix Suns. Hachimura hasn't taken the court since the Dec. 28 win over the Sacramento Kings.

That Reaves is not joining the team on the road trip comes as no surprise, as the expectation was he would miss at least four weeks because of a strained gastrocnemius muscle in his left calf.

However, Hachimura is expected to return sooner, as Redick previously told reporters on Tuesday the hope was the forward would be back within a week or so from his right calf soreness.

Injuries have been a problem for the Lakers since their 15-4 start, which has contributed to their recent inconsistency. They are just 6-7 in their last 13 games and are in fifth place in the middle of a crowded Western Conference playoff picture in the early going.

Reaves in particular is important for the Purple and Gold if they are going to be a true playoff threat in the daunting Western Conference, as he is often the third option in the offense alongside LeBron James and Luka Dončić.

He can also take some of the playmaking responsibilities away from those two stars when necessary, which should keep them fresher come playoff time.

But he needs to be on the court in order to do that, and it will still be some time before his return.