Los Angeles — Lakers guard Austin Reaves will be sidelined for a minimum of four weeks after being diagnosed with a Grade 2 strain of the left gastrocnemius, the team announced Friday. He will be re-evaluated at that point.
The injury was first reported by Dan Woike of The Athletic. Reaves initially strained his left calf on Dec. 8 and returned on Dec. 23, but he left Thursday’s loss to Houston at halftime when soreness resurfaced. An MRI later confirmed the new strain, which team and league sources said involves a different muscle group in the same leg.
“Just hoping,” teammate Luka Doncic said Reaves told him when discussing the severity. “If you need something to help with, I know how it is to go through a calf injury. It’s not fun at all. Just be there to support him. Take your time. Calves are dangerous.”
The 27-year-old is playing for his next contract and is expected to decline his $14.9 million player option for 2026-27 to enter unrestricted free agency next summer. In 23 games this season he is averaging 26.6 points, 6.3 assists, 5.2 rebounds and 1.0 steal while shooting 50.2 percent from the field, 36.5 percent from three and 87.3 percent at the line.
Reaves has already missed six games and will be out at least 14 more, effectively ending his chances for Most Improved Player consideration. Los Angeles opened the season 15-4 but has lost six of its last 10, including three straight. Head coach JJ Redick criticized his club’s professionalism and effort after Thursday’s defeat.
Kings’ Murray out with calf strain
Sacramento — Kings forward Keegan Murray will miss at least one week after an MRI revealed a mild right calf strain, the team said. He is expected to sit out the next four games before being reevaluated.
Murray, 25, missed the first 15 contests of the season following thumb surgery in mid-October. Since returning, he has averaged 14.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.7 blocks across 15 games while logging 37.1 minutes per night, a figure that would rank second in the league if he qualified.
Nets fill final two-way slot
Brooklyn — The Nets signed undrafted forward Chaney Johnson to their remaining two-way contract, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post. No corresponding move was needed because Brooklyn held the NBA’s lone vacant two-way spot.
The 6-foot-7 Johnson averaged 9.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 0.9 blocks in 38 games as a senior at Auburn, helping the Tigers reach the Final Four last season. With the G League’s Cleveland Charge this year, he has posted 12.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.1 blocks in 16 appearances while shooting 60.4 percent from the field and 40.0 percent from beyond the arc.
Source: Hoops Wire
