Austin Reaves return date, Austin Reaves, Austin Reaves injury, Lakers
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Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on prior to the game against the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena on December 25, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Star guard Austin Reaves could return to the Los Angeles Lakers lineup either during the Jan. 28 game against the Cleveland Cavaliers or the Jan. 30 game against the Washington Wizards.
That estimation is based on Lakers head coach JJ Redick revealing that Reaves is on track to return from his calf injury at some point during the team’s ongoing eight-game road trip, which began with a 115-107 win over the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday. Furthermore, the Jan. 28 or Jan. 30 date lines up with the four-week timeline set for Austin Reaves’ return date after he sustained a grade 2 left gastrocnemius strain during the Christmas Day clash against the Houston Rockets.
Austin Reaves Return Date
After Tuesday’s win in Denver, Spectrum SportsNet’s Mike Trudell doubled down that Reaves has made excellent progress in his recovery.
“The plan is for Austin Reaves to return at some point in this trip,” Trudell reported. “Obviously, it’s a long road trip of eight games, but it won’t seem exactly like that because the team comes back home tonight to face the Clippers in a road game, before hitting the road for Dallas, and the trip goes through the first few days of February.”
“That would be great,” Truddel said on an Austin Reaves return to the Lakers. “We know they have missed him a lot.”
Based on Trudell’s reporting, it seems unlikely that Reaves would be back for the Jan. 24 game against the Mavericks or the Jan. 26 clash against the Bulls, making it more feasible for a return during one of the last two games of the month.
Spectrum SportsNet
“He’s progressing well; he’ll play at some point on this trip.” #LakeShow
JJ Redick gives @LakersReporter and the media an injury update on Austin Reaves (calf) ahead of tonight’s matchup in Denver. Get closer to the action with Spectrum SportsNet+. 🔗: t.co/k8Sa1tKN6U
Dave McMenamin
JJ Redick says Austin Reaves is “progressing well” and will return to the lineup sometime during the Lakers’ 8-game road trip. Some good news for the Lakers, who have been without Reaves because of a left calf strain since Christmas.
Lakers Road Trip Continues
The worst-case scenario for an Austin Reaves return could be the Feb. 1 blockbuster clash against the New York Knicks or the Feb. 3 game against the Brooklyn Nets. As is tradition, the Lakers will conclude their midseason road schedule with the Grammy Road Trip against New York’s two franchises in games that garner a lot of attention.
For what it’s worth, it seems far more likely that the Lakers will bring Reaves back against a lesser opponent, such as the Wizards, rather than the Knicks.
Since Reaves went down on Dec. 25, the Lakers have had their fair share of troubles, with JJ Redick’s team going 7-6 with an offensive rating of 115.6. Before Reaves got hurt, the Lakers had a top-eight offensive rating of 117.5 with a record of 19-10.
Reaves is averaging a career-high 26.6 points, 6.3 assists and 5.2 rebounds on 50% shooting in his fifth season with the Lakers. The undrafted guard is in for a huge payday this offseason, with teams such as the Utah Jazz and San Antonio Spurs expected to try to pry him away from the Lakers as a free agent. The Lakers, who own his full Bird Rights, can offer him a five-year, $241M max contract, while Utah and other teams can offer a four-year, $178.5M deal. Per The Athletic’s Sam Amick, the Lakers are expected to give Reaves “the massive amount coming his way this summer.”