Getty

Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers

It was always going to be a big year for Lakers wing Austin Reaves, who is heading into free agency this summer and looking at earning a mega-deal. To do so, he would need to build on last season’s star turn and, despite some injury concerns throughout the year, he did that: In 51 games, Reaves averaged 23.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.5 assists and shot 49.0% from the field.

But on April 2, the same night that Luka Doncic suffered a hamstring injury in a blowout loss to the Thunder, Reaves suffered an oblique injury that he knew pretty quickly  was going to be problematic.

It was. With Doncic already out, Reaves was deemed to be out for four-to-six weeks, which meant that after a furious rally in which the Lakers won 16 out of 18 games, L.A. was staring down the barrel of an early playoff exit.

Said Reaves, who addressed reporters on Tuesday for the first time since the injury: “I kinda had a feeling. When something is bothering me, it’s usually that something is wrong. Super frustrated, obviously we just had the Luka news, we were playing well. Just super frustrated but obviously our confidence didn’t waver as a team. Sort of the message from that day forward was, we’re going to do everything as a team, they were going to do everything as a team to give us an opportunity to get back and play.”

Lakers Ready for Game 5 Return

But now, Reaves is nearly ready for his return. He warmed up ahead of the Lakers’ Game 3 and 4 in Houston, but ultimately pulled back from taking the floor again. Meanwhile, the Lakers have more than held their own, building a 3-1 lead before Wednesday’s Game 5 back home in Los Angeles.

The goal for the Lakers was always to stay alive long enough for Doncic and Reaves to return, and behind star turns from LeBron James, Luke Kennard and Marcus Smart, they’ve done so.

Said Reaves: “It’s been a lot of fun to see the determination, the togetherness and just the joy of them playing basketball together every single possession. It’s been a lot of fun, we talk about every time we watch them, how hard they play, the attention to detail and the togetherness.”

Austin Reaves Struggles ‘Just Sitting Over There’ During Lakers Games

Reaves said he has done his best to give moral support to his Lakers teammates from the bench, but that has been fairly unsatisfying.

“I’ve been pretty miserable,” Reaves said. “Not having somewhat of a control on a game. Just sitting over there—not no hope in the game, no hope that I can affect the game. Obviously, I can talk and try to lead from being over there but not really being on the court. It sucks. I think we’ve seen in the past with my injuries I will do everything I can to get back as soon as I can with, you know, still being safe at the same time.”

Lakers Want to Keep Austin Reaves From Re-Injury

Finally, while Reaves appears set to return on Wednesday for the Lakers, it is worth noting that it’s not a definite. He will still have to get back on the floor, work out, and be sure that he is not at risk for further injury.

Reaves said it has been tough to balance his desire to be on the floor and the need to protect himself from himself: “JJ (Redick) specifically was like, ‘You have to be comfortable with your body and what you can do to go out there and help us be successful.’ I want to get out here as fast as I can. But like I said, I feel good. Trending in the right direction. Can’t wait to wake up tomorrow and attack another day.”