The Los Angeles Lakers are about to end their 8-game road trip. On Sunday, they met the New York Knicks and lost 112-100. This marked their third loss in the last seven games. But as always, the NBA circus moves on. So, the team will face the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday. However, the Lakers will continue missing a key piece on the floor: Austin Reaves.

LA has sidelined the 27-year-old guard since Christmas with a Grade 2 calf injury. And while the Purple and Gold have remained fiesty on the court, they have tumbled down the Western Conference ladder and now sit 6th.

Meanwhile, the Lakers’ head coach, JJ Redick, had some positive news despite the loss on Sunday. “He’s [Austin Reaves] day-to-day, game-to-game, however you want to phrase it,” Redick said. “We’ll hopefully have him for Tuesday, but he’s got to feel 100% confident.”

The Lakers again tagged Reaves as questionable, and that status held through Sunday as they fell 112-110 to the Knicks. Still, LeBron James and Luka Doncic powered the effort with 52 points combined. Meanwhile, Reaves went through a brief pregame routine at Madison Square Garden, yet he stayed on the sideline.

Coming back to his injury on Christmas Day. Reports say the star’s troubles began on December 8. After a contest against the San Antonio Spurs, the teams had to sideline Austin with a light strain in his left calf.

There was no obvious play that caused it. Still, the setback forced the Los Angeles Lakers guard to miss a long stretch before he returned to suit up for two appearances. However, that comeback quickly unraveled. After the Christmas clash with the Houston Rockets, the same calf problem resurfaced.

As a result, Reaves has missed 19 straight games, deepening a frustrating stretch for the Los Angeles Lakers. Now, AR’s absence is at a crucial time in the NBA’s trade scenes. As you know, the February 5 deadline is just days away. And many voices around the league feel that the Lakers could make a move soon.

The Lakers could reshape their roster

The Los Angeles Lakers sit firmly in the Western Conference playoff picture. And plenty of games remain on the schedule. However, any decision made in the coming days could determine how far this group advances in its postseason run. Meanwhile, Luka Doncic and (probably) LeBron James appear locked in as core pieces for Los Angeles.

In contrast, the outlook for others feels far less confident as the season moves forward. The Lakers want to center their future around Doncic, and their deadline approach may reinforce that plan.

As a result, Austin Reaves, Dalton Knecht, and Rui Hachimura could all emerge as names tied to possible trade discussions. Experts believe that the front office would like to build around Reaves, who has a $14.8 million player option for 2026-27.

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Meanwhile, Hachimura could become a part of a trade deal. According to veteran insider Marc Stein, LA has already “shown a willingness to include” him in a trade. The seven-year NBA veteran is playing out the final season of his $18.2 million deal, a factor that could raise his value for teams chasing a championship.

In the end, it’s solely the optimism around AR’s return that has kept the Lakers going. Yes, the grit and grind have prevailed, but Reaves– everyone has felt his absence.

And therefore, even during the active trade season, the 27-year-old’s fate feels locked in with LA. Coach Redick probably envisions a Luka-Austin duo in the future. And who knows, this could be the pair to bring them the 18th ring?