The Los Angeles Lakers–Memphis Grizzlies game has caused the LA side 2 injury scares. First Anthony Davis and now it’s Austin Reaves. AD fortunately returned to the court after shrugging off what looked like a shoulder problem and continued right where he left off. But Reaves took an elbow from Zach Edey. While boxing out, the rookie accidentally elbowed AR in the face, leaving him face-down, and holding his mouth. He was seen walking to the sidelines, and then getting treatment for a cut inside his mouth during the timeout.

Reaves stayed in after the timeout, despite the wound bleeding previously.

The hoopster was just out for five games before returning against the Timberwolves because of a pelvic contusion. In his 36 minutes of playing, he scored 19 points, had 8 assists, and even got 2 rebounds. The Lakers can’t seem to escape the rollercoaster performances this season, battling to maintain any sort of steady form. Another injury would be BIG trouble for the Lakers.

But it looks like Reaves is alright. After getting back in, he seemed okay, getting an assist to end the night as the LA side beat the Grizzlies 116-110. Edey was under severe fan scrutiny for hurting AD as well. When Davis left for the locker room, everyone thought the Lakers would fold. Instead of crumbling under pressure like we’ve seen in the past few games, LeBron and Co. stepped up.

Reaves, injured from an elbow to the mouth, kept fighting. Christie locked in on defense. The Lakers weren’t backing down this time. While AR showed his commitment to the team playing all bloodied, he might have to be sacrificed by the Lakers for the greater good.

Austin Reaves might have to leave for the Lakers to accommodate a third-star

The Lakers are racing against the clock, needing to figure out how to beef up their roster for a title run. It’s clear they need a third star to pair with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. However, landing a player of that caliber likely means parting ways with Austin Reaves.

AR is a solid all-around contributor, excelling as a secondary player who can create, score, and move off the ball. Therefore, it’s understandable that the Lakers might not want to lose him. Plus, at 26, he’s still very much on the rise.

Reaves’ contract is also one of the better deals in the league. He makes $13 million this year and will earn $13.9 million next season, with a player option for 2026-27. That’s a steal compared to many others in his range, giving the Lakers solid value in trade talks, in comparison to someone like D’Angelo Russell raking in $18 million, who’s heading towards unrestricted free agency anyway.

But to land a game-changing player, the rising Laker may have to be included in a potential deal. Sure, the LA side has future first-round picks, but they’ll likely need to sweeten the pot. Without a legitimate third star, it’s hard to see how they can compete for a title. If the right player becomes available, do you think the Lakers should pull the trigger on Reaves?