Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves is processing the departure of LeBron James, who will not return to the team in free agency this summer. Reaves, who has played alongside James for the first four seasons of his career with the Lakers, shared his thoughts on the significant roster changes.
Reaves signed a four-year, $180 million deal with the Lakers this offseason, a contract that includes a player option for the 2029–30 season. He expressed that starting a season without James will be a new experience for him. “I don’t know if I’ve honestly processed it yet. I was kind of thinking about it last night when I got here. Starting a season without him on the team is going to be different for me. That’s kind of all I’ve ever known. Him being around, joking around, like he’s 15. That’s his decision, and like I said in Tahoe and anytime I’ve talked about it, I’ve got nothing but love and respect for him,” Reaves stated.
A New Era for the Lakers
The Lakers are entering a new era, marked by the acquisition of Luka Doncic in February 2025, which signaled a shift in the team’s focus. James’ departure further solidifies this new direction, with the team undergoing a significant transformation this summer. The goal of the offseason has been to build a complementary roster around Doncic.
The team has added several new players, including Walker Kessler, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes, Kevon Looney, and Ziaire Williams. Reaves conveyed his excitement about these new additions. “The pieces that are coming in, I’m very excited about and I’m happy to get started today and see where it goes,” he said.
Reaves is expected to play a crucial role in this new Lakers era, forming a strong partnership on the court with Doncic. His commitment to the team was evident when he reportedly took a discount on his original extension to help maintain the team’s financial flexibility for future years. This move was part of the Lakers’ strategy to keep Reaves in Los Angeles for the long term.
Roster Overhaul and Player Reactions
The Lakers’ roster has seen a complete overhaul, with all the players who started alongside Reaves in the playoffs last spring no longer with the team. With the signing of former Brooklyn Nets forward Ziaire Williams, the Lakers have eight new players who arrived through trades, free agency, or the draft.
Collin Sexton, another new Laker, humorously noted a pattern with James’ departures. When Sexton was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2018, James left for the Lakers. Now, with Sexton joining the Lakers, James has departed again. Sexton laughed about the coincidence, saying, “He’s just leaving every time I arrive. That’s what it is. No, but one of the other coaches made the same joke yesterday. It’s cool, I know. I’ve always wanted to team up with him for sure, but it’s definitely cool knowing him and just having normal conversations and stuff, so that’s cool.”
Reaves also reflected on the changes, acknowledging the difficulty of seeing former teammates go. “They’re good. Obviously, I’ve been with the guys that are leaving for a couple years and with Bron for five years and I hate to see guys like that go. But the pieces that are coming in, I’m very excited about and I’m happy to get started today and see where it goes,” Reaves commented. The Lakers’ transformation includes a significant investment in players like Walker Kessler, who was acquired from the Utah Jazz.
The team’s new coach, JJ Redick, and the staff are expected to ask different things from the players, and Reaves is ready to adapt. “Everybody knows it’s a completely different team. There’s going to be different things asked of different people, and if that’s what JJ [Redick] and the staff asks of me, I’ll do it to the best of my ability,” Reaves told reporters.
Reaves’ new contract ensures he will be with Los Angeles for at least four seasons.
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Source: sports.yahoo.com
