Lakers want LeBron James and Austin Reaves to return next season
Key takeaways
- But on April 2 at Oklahoma City, Doncic (Grade 2 left hamstring strain) and Reaves (Grade 2 left oblique muscle strain) went down with injuries and it was left to James to lead the group.
- James did, leading the Lakers past the Houston Rockets in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
- Through it all, Doncic was and still is the center of the Lakers’ universe.
Lakers coach JJ Redick talks with Le Bron James along the sideline during Game 4 against the Thunder on Monday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) By Broderick Turner Staff Writer Follow May 12, 2026 1:40 PM PT 1 4 min Click here to listen to this article Share via Close extra sharing options Email Facebook X Linked In Threads Reddit Whats App Copy Link URL Copied! Print 0:00 0:00 1x This is read by an automated voice. Please report any issues or inconsistencies here.
There was a moment when the Lakers were humming along near the end of the NBA’s regular season, when they went 16-2 in the month of March as Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and LeBron James found their groove together as a dynamic threesome.
But on April 2 at Oklahoma City, Doncic (Grade 2 left hamstring strain) and Reaves (Grade 2 left oblique muscle strain) went down with injuries and it was left to James to lead the group.