Austin Reaves Faces Temporary Setback with Calf Strain

The Los Angeles Lakers will have to make adjustments as guard Austin Reaves has been diagnosed with a "mild" left calf strain. Reaves' injury evaluation is set for approximately one week from now, as reported by Dan Woike of The Athletic.

The timing of the injury remains unclear. Reaves played 40 minutes during the Lakers' 132-119 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday, but it is still uncertain when he sustained the strain. This season, the 27-year-old has already missed three games due to a prior right groin issue.

Despite the recent setback, Reaves has been a significant contributor for the Lakers, appearing in 155 of a possible 164 regular-season games over the last two years. His breakout season has him averaging a career-high 27.8 points and 6.7 assists along with 5.6 rebounds per game while shooting 50.3 percent from the field and 36.9 percent from beyond the arc.

Reaves' performance has been critical to the Lakers’ success this season, as they hold a strong 17-7 record. The team boasts an impressive offensive rating of 118.5 with him on the court, compared to 112.9 when he is off the floor (data per NBA.com).

Assuming Reaves' timeline holds, he will miss the Lakers' upcoming games against the Phoenix Suns and the Utah Jazz. However, he could potentially return for a matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers on December 20. In his absence, teammates Marcus Smart and Gabe Vincent are expected to step up and take on expanded roles in head coach JJ Redick’s rotation.