The Los Angeles Lakers announced some good news amid LeBron James‘ continued absence.
They are set to welcome back Austin Reaves to the lineup for their December 13 road game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Reaves’ status has been upgraded to probable to play in the Lakers’ injury report after missing the last five games with a pelvic contusion.
The Lakers guard’s return is a welcome development for the Lakers, who will be without James for the second straight game with left foot soreness.
Without James, the Lakers need another playmaker. Reaves could provide that for the Lakers to caution against the impact of James’ continued absence. It is unclear, however, if Reaves will be under minute restriction.
Lakers rookie coach JJ Redick told reporters following their December 12 practice that Reaves “participated in most of their practice drills,” including 5-on-5 play.
Reddick hopes Reaves’ return will help continue the Lakers’ momentum following their 107-98 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on December 8, which snapped a three-game losing streak. They are 3-7 over their last 10 games, which caused them to fall to the eighth seed in the Western Conference with an 11-13 record.
The 26-year-old Reaves is having a career season. He’s averaging 16.7 points, 4.8 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.1 steals. He’s shooting 44% from the field and 35.5% from the 3-point line.
The Lakers went 2-3 in Reaves’ absence.
LeBron James Not With The Team
James skipped the Lakers’ December 12 practice with Redick Redick revealing to reporters, per ESPN, that it was due to personal reasons, which raised a few eyebrows amid the trade rumors and the recent decline of his play.
Redick said it was an excused absence and did not elaborate. James did not join the Lakers on their flight to Minnesota as Redick said he was “taking some time.”
As the February 6 NBA trade deadline approaches, rumors have started to swirl around James and the Lakers as they stumbled after their strong 10-4 start.
ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins said James’ agent, Rich Paul, won’t oppose a trade if his client wants it this time.
“My sources tell me that if LeBron James at any point comes out and says that he wants to be traded or he wants to entertain it, they’re going to entertain it,” said ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins on NBA Today. “It ain’t no holding him back.
“Last year, Rick Paul stopped it [a trade to the Warriors]… When Golden State called asking about LeBron, Rich Paul, his agent, silenced all that. But if LeBron and Lakers get to this conversation again, I’m hearing Rich Paul ain’t getting in the way.”
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst also added the Warriors will “definitely monitor” James’ status after their failed pursuit during last season’s trade deadline.
James has a no-trade clause with a $52.6 million player option for next season.
‘Gassed’ LeBron James
Redick revealed that James has shown signs of fatigue recently, which is why he welcomes this long break for his aging superstar.
“In game, he’s asked for a sub a couple of times because he’s gassed,” Redick told reporters. “For us, we have to be cognizant as we play more and more games, just the cumulative effect of playing a lot of minutes and Sunday, being banged up with the foot thing, it felt like a good opportunity for him to get some rest.”
James, who will turn 40 on December 30, is averaging 23.0 points, 9.1 assists and 8.0 rebounds while shooting 49.5% from the field and 35.9% from the 3-point line. His 29.8 usage rate this season represents the fourth-lowest mark of his career. He also had the roughest stretch of his career during the Lakers’ tumble to the play-in range when he missed 20 straight 3-pointers.
LeBron’s son, Bronny James, is also out on a G League assignment. Bronny scored a G League career-high 30 points on Thursday, December 12, in the South Bay Lakers’ 106-100 loss to the Valley Suns in Phoenix.
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