Austin Reaves

According to head coach JJ Redick, Reaves and the Lakers medical staff opted against imaging. This latest update is favorable for the severity of the injury, and Reaves could miss little time, if any at all. If Reaves is forced to sit out, Collin Sexton and Quentin Grimes could pick up the slack.

The Lakers were already up double digits, so there was no need to bring him back in. If he is to miss time, look for Collin Sexton to take more shots and more minutes for Quentin Grimes. They both become stream options in redraft leagues but not high priority ones.

Reaves, who did not play in Monday’s win over the Hawks, returns and will take on his usual role within the Lakers’ lineup. Ziaire Williams heads to the bench, while the other four starters are unchanged.

Reaves did not play in Monday’s win over the Hawks. With Quentin Grimes also out, Ziaire Williams returned to the starting lineup. Either Williams or Jake LaRavia is likely to come off the bench on Wednesday.

One day removed from scoring a season-high 43 points in a win over the Pistons, Reaves will not play on Monday. As a result, Collin Sexton should play more, even with Luka Dončić (back) returning to action.

Reaves - who scored 43 in Sunday’s win over Detroit - is a late addition to the injury report, and he’s in danger of sitting out the second leg of LA’s back-to-back set. With Quentin Grimes (finger) ruled out, the Lakers will be thin on the wing, meaning Collin Sexton and Jake LaRavia could enjoy additional playing time if Reaves is ultimately ruled out.

No Luka Dončić, no problem. Reaves picked up the slack from a creation standpoint with the current MVP frontrunner sidelined by a back issue in this one. Dončić entered the contest averaging a league-best 40.1 points per game, leaving a significant void for the Lakers to fill. It wasn’t an issue for Reaves, who embraced the expanded offensive responsibilities, repeatedly getting to his spots and making Detroit pay in one-on-one situations from the mid-range. He poured in a team-high 19 first-half points to give Los Angeles a 13-point advantage at the break before tacking on 12 more in the third quarter alone. He drilled a crowd-silencing stepback three-pointer to give Los Angeles an eight-point lead in the final minute. It’s abundantly clear that his fantasy appeal rises exponentially whenever Dončić is out of the lineup. The Lakers continue their current road trip with a three-game week that includes showdowns against the Hawks, Bucks and Suns.

Reaves struggled to begin Friday’s game, missing his first seven shots. However, he shone in the second and fourth quarters, shooting 7-of-12 from the field and scoring 23 of his 25 points. Even with Friday’s poor shooting, Reaves is shooting nearly 51 percent from the field. His fantasy value hasn’t aligned with his top-25 ADP, but Reaves has been a top-50 player through the Lakers’ first 10 games.

Austin has been one of the most consistent players in the league this season. He does his job as the secondary option in the offense, he hits threes, he gets some assists and plays good defense. The rebounds have been lower than what you would want since he’s been averaging 4 rebounds a game for the past three seasons, and he’s at three this year, but it’s hard to complain all things considered.

The last few games had been rough for Reaves, but he was able to get back on track in this one. The turnovers still weren’t great, and he now has 24 over his last four outings. However, he was far more efficient as a scorer, which helped the Lakers secure a second win in as many days. Reaves has been a high-level second option behind Luka Dončić this season, though the turnovers need to be cleaned up for him to match his production from last year.

After committing eight turnovers in Friday’s loss to the Warriors, Reaves committed three against the Raptors. He didn’t shoot the ball particularly well on Sunday, but Reaves entered the game shooting 54.8 percent from the field and 42.4 percent from beyond the arc. He’ll look to bounce back on Monday when the Lakers host the Heat.

Although Reaves recorded his fifth 20-point game in six appearances, it was not a good night for him. For those hoping Luka Dončić’s return to the Lakers’ lineup would help limit Reaves’ turnovers, he committed eight for the second straight game. He was also 1-of-6 from three, but the recent jump in turnovers is a concern, especially for managers in nine-cat leagues. Hopefully, Reaves will take better care of the basketball on Sunday against the Raptors.

The Lakers didn’t have Luka Dončić (back) on Wednesday, with his absence shifting Reaves into the starting point guard role. Unfortunately for fantasy managers hoping for more production from Reaves, it didn’t happen. More damaging than the field-goal percentage was the turnover count, as he racked up eight. The good news is that the Lakers play two more games in Week 2, starting with the Warriors on Friday.

Reaves, whose point total increased in each of the Lakers’ first three games, has scored 23+ points in all four outings. He didn’t record any defensive stats on Tuesday, but most fantasy managers target Reaves for his offensive production. Efficient against Portland, the Lakers guard didn’t turn the ball over at all in his 39 minutes. Reaves is shooting 63.3 percent from the field over four games, an incredible percentage given his place in the Lakers’ pecking order and how much attention opposing defenses pay him.

While backcourt partner Luka Dončić scored a season-high 52 points, Reaves also had a good day. After attempting 16 free throws in his first two games, Reaves took 13 on Sunday and made 11. With efficient shooting and a complete stat line, this was a strong performance for managers who needed Reaves to come through on the final day of Week 1.

Like his backcourt partner, Luka Dončić, Reaves had turnover issues on Friday, committing six. However, he shot a high percentage from the field and finished one assist shy of a double-double. Reaves and the Lakers end their Week 1 with a road game against the Jazz on Sunday.

If you drafted Austin Reaves, you will be very happy after tonight. We’re not expecting Austin to get to the free throw line as much as he did in this game, but this is what you would expect from Austin Reaves if you drafted him. He will be in contention to finish in the top 15 this year in fantasy basketball.

For the first time this preseason, the Lakers had their new “big three,” Reaves, Luka Dončić, and Walker Kessler, on the floor together. Shot attempts were close, but the Lakers still need to build chemistry between their star guards and Kessler, the new starting center. Reaves shot 1-of-7 from beyond the arc, but fantasy managers drafting in the next few days shouldn’t worry.

This was a little taste of how good Reaves can in fantasy basketball this season. Of course, Luka Dončić was sidelined, which allowed Reaves to score 23 points in just the first half. Dončić will be primary source of offense, but when he’s sidelined, Reaves will see a ton of usage, with the only downside being his turnovers. Reaves will still be productive enough when Dončić is healthy to be worth taking in the second or third round of drafts.

Reaves was in the Lakers’ lineup on Thursday after missing the first two preseason games with a minor ankle injury. While he didn’t shoot well, the Lakers’ guard led the team with eight assists. LeBron James’ departure puts more responsibility on Reaves’ shoulders, raising his fantasy ceiling. At this point in the preseason, Reaves has a second-round ADP, and that’s unlikely to change before the regular season begins.