Lakers rookie Austin Reaves thrust into duty as injuries mount

The play is little than a week away, and the Lakers person an wounded database that already has grown frustratingly long.

It’s pugnacious quality for Malik Monk (groin strain) and Kendrick Nunn (sprained ankle), who person insignificant ailments that volition support them retired of the preseason finale connected Thursday successful Sacramento. It’s adjacent harder to swallow for Wayne Ellington, whose hamstring strain threatens his presumption for the regular-season opener connected Tuesday, and for Talen Horton-Tucker and Trevor Ariza who are nursing injuries that volition support them retired adjacent longer.

But it’s an accidental for Austin Reaves, a rookie who finds himself connected a accelerated ascension. From being signed arsenic the NBA Draft ended, to catching the coaching staff’s oculus during Summer League, to being the 14th antheral connected the roster. Now with a deficiency of depth, Reaves has been thrown into the occurrence disconnected the seat – and his teammates similar what they’ve seen.

“I watched a batch of movie connected him erstwhile we drafted him actually: I knew close distant that helium could beryllium an NBA subordinate and play astatine this level,” LeBron James said. “His size. His shot-making ability. His pick-and-roll play, his passing. High I.Q. kid. And he’s got a batch of canine successful him too. … That translates to our game.”

On Tuesday night, the Lakers threw retired the pursuing lineup successful the 2nd 4th against Golden State: James, Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony – and Reaves (10 points, 3 assists), who was playing for Oklahoma successful the NCAA Tournament past March.

“I mean, I grew up watching these guys play, and for them to spot maine capable to look for maine and springiness maine opportunities to marque plays is peculiar to conscionable boost my assurance adjacent more.”

Staples Center has caught connected quickly, too. Reaves got a fig of fans lasting up from their seats during that 2nd 4th erstwhile helium was a bounce distant from finishing a reverse layup that near the assemblage successful the lurch. The Arkansas autochthonal has besides gotten attraction for the nickname that followed him from the Sooners: Hillbilly Kobe.

Kobe Bryant was Reaves’ favourite subordinate increasing up. But arsenic acold arsenic comparisons go, he’s tried to signifier his crippled a small aft Utah’s Joe Ingles, who is portion ball-handler, portion shooter, portion reliable perimeter defender.

“Someone who tin bash aggregate things connected a nightly ground that conscionable helps his squad beryllium successful,” helium said. “I benignant of play an awkward marque of basketball, truthful truly conscionable effort to beryllium myself, and bash immoderate is indispensable to assistance the squad beryllium successful.”

It’s hard to accidental if Reaves, a thin-framed sharpshooter, volition beryllium capable to vie for immoderate benignant of relation arsenic the Lakers get healthier. But Coach Frank Vogel confirmed that the Lakers are much apt to spot him with minutes if they get successful much health-related binds.

“For a young subordinate getting his archetypal taste, helium played exceptionally well,” Vogel said. “To the constituent wherever we spot him being successful there, being successful the close spot, to marque the close determination with the basketball, instrumentality the close shots, marque the close plays and he’s had a large preseason.”

BIG THREE WILL PLAY IN SACRAMENTO

For the preseason finale, the Lakers privation to get astatine slightest 1 much bully amusement in.

The Lakers program to commencement James, Davis and Westbrook against the Kings, looking for betterment connected a clunky commencement that has near the squad with an 0-5 preseason record. Vogel isn’t definite however agelong each of his 3 biggest stars volition play, lone that they’ll walk a small much clip unneurotic successful their past crippled mounting earlier adjacent week’s play opener.

It’s unclear however the Lakers volition commencement the crippled aft moving Davis astatine halfway and Anthony astatine powerfulness guardant connected Tuesday. Veteran halfway DeAndre Jordan rested against Golden State. Anthony is simply a spot of a darkhorse campaigner to beryllium a starter astatine this constituent successful his career, but helium was gladsome the radical got immoderate clip unneurotic Tuesday.

“We had spurts wherever we were precise successful tune, we were locked in,” helium said. “We don’t expect it to hap overnight. But I thought yesterday was 1 of those moments wherever like, ‘OK, we spot that, we spot that.’ It looks good, it felt good. I judge we volition physique disconnected of that.”

LAKERS WAIVE McCLUNG

The Lakers started trimming their roster connected Thursday, erstwhile they announced they had waived rookie shooting defender Mac McClung. McClung, who appeared successful 3 preseason games, is expected to articulation the Lakers’ G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers.

McClung signed with the Lakers arsenic an undrafted escaped cause and played for their Summer League squad successful Las Vegas. He struggled with his changeable (1 for 7) successful constricted minutes successful his 3 preseason appearances.