![\"Dalton](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1770128655_169_.jpeg\")
<\/p>\nWelcome back to The Times\u2019 Lakers newsletter, where we are freezing out butts off on this East Coast trip.<\/p>\n
As the team continues to work its way through the Grammy trip, your usual scribe who writes this newsletter, Thuc Nhi Nguyen, is off to Milan to cover the Winter Olympics. That means you are stuck with me, Broderck Turner, for the next month to discuss the Lakers here.<\/p>\n
All things Lakers, all the time. Austin Reaves\u2019 return?<\/p>\n
At some point on this eight-game trip, the prevailing thought was that Austin Reaves would return to play after being out with a left calf strain. But we are still waiting for that to happen.<\/p>\n
The Lakers\u2019 last game on this trip is Tuesday at Brooklyn, meaning Reaves will have been out a little over 5 \u00bd-weeks since the injury first occurred during the Christmas Day game against the Houston Rockets.<\/p>\n
Reaves had been upgraded from out to questionable for the games at Washington on Friday night and the New York Knicks on Sunday, but didn\u2019t play.<\/p>\n
And for the Nets game Tuesday, the Lakers have listed Reaves as questionable.<\/p>\n
Lakers coach JJ Redick said Reaves worked out on Saturday but it was not \u201clike a stay-ready game.\u201d<\/p>\n
Before the Lakers played the Knicks, Redick said Reaves would be a game-time decision.<\/p>\n
Reaves did not play, missing his 19th straight game.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, I just would say he\u2019s day to day, game to game, however you want to phrase it,\u201d Redick said after the Lakers lost to the Knicks. \u201c We\u2019re hopeful to have him for Tuesday, but he\u2019s gotta feel 100% confident.\u201d<\/p>\n
In many ways, Reaves and the Lakers face a conundrum regarding his health.<\/p>\n
Reaves always wants to play and the Lakers need him to play, but calf injuries can be tricky and can lead to more serious injuries if they aren\u2019t completely healed.<\/p>\n
Reaves had missed three games in December with a mild left calf strain, returned to play against the Suns and then went down one game later against the Rockets on Christmas.<\/p>\n
Reaves was then diagnosed with a Grade 2 left gastrocnemius (calf) strain and was given a timeline of four to six weeks before a return to play.<\/p>\n
Luka Doncic had been out with a calf strain for more than a month when the Lakers traded for him from the Dallas Mavericks last February.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s definitely hard with a calf. I\u2019ve been through that. It\u2019s not an easy injury,\u201d Doncic said Sunday night. \u201cSo, we just want him to be healthy. If he\u2019s not ready to come back, don\u2019t come back. But obviously, we\u2019d love to have him out there. We can\u2019t wait for his return.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reaves is averaging career-high in points (26.6), assists (6.3) and rebounds (5.2) per game. He is shooting 50.7% from the field.<\/p>\n
His outstanding play means Reaves is in line for a big payday. The Lakers can pay him a maximum deal of five years worth about $241 million.<\/p>\n
So, yes, Reaves is understandably being cautious.<\/p>\n
Trade winds <\/p>\n
Dalton Knecht is apparently being used as trade bait by the Lakers.<\/p>\n
(Gina Ferazzi \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n
Two of the players people around the NBA said the Lakers had shown some interest in were traded for each other last week, leaving L.A. still searching for the right move to make … or not to make.<\/p>\n
Cleveland traded De\u2019Andre Hunter to the Sacramento Kings for Keon Ellis, two wing players that had been attached to the Lakers as possible candidates to be acquired.<\/p>\n
The NBA trade deadline is Thursday at noon PST.<\/p>\n
So, the Lakers still have time to do a deal, but people not authorized to speak publicly on the matter say teams have little interest in guards Gabe Vincent and Dalton Knecht, the two most prominent players the Lakers seem to be pushing.<\/p>\n
The Lakers do have a first-round draft pick they can attach to one of them, but so far appear hesitant to make it part of a deal.<\/p>\n
MSG nostalgia ![\"Was](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1770128655_556_.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
Was this LeBron James\u2019 final game in Madison Square Garden?<\/p>\n
(John Munson \/ Associated Press)<\/p>\n
So, after LeBron James had 22 points, six assists and five rebounds against the Knicks, he was asked if it was weird to think that game the Lakers played the Knicks could be his last time playing in Madison Square Garden.<\/p>\n
James, in his 23rd season, has given no indication on when he will retire.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the end of the day, everything has to come to an end at some point,\u201d James said. \u201cSo, no matter what it is, it\u2019s going to be like, \u2018I\u2019ll never play again in Madison Square Garden. I\u2019ll never play again in certain arenas. I\u2019ll never play again, period.\u2019 So, at that point it doesn\u2019t matter. You\u2019re going to always miss it. You\u2019re going to miss the game in general. So this one will always have a special place in the journey because it is Madison Square Garden. But yeah, when that time comes, yeah, for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n
On tap<\/p>\n
Tuesday at Brooklyn (13-35), 4:30 p.m. PST<\/b><\/p>\n
The Lakers end their eight-game trip against a Nets team that has the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference. The Nets have lost eight of their last 10 games. Michael Porter Jr. leads the Nets in scoring, averaging 25.6 points per game.<\/p>\n
Thursday vs. Philadelphia (27-21), 7 p.m. <\/b><\/p>\n
Just as the 76ers started to play better and get healthy, Paul George was suspended 25 games without play for violating the NBA\u2019s anti-drug policy. But the 76ers still have All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey, who is averaging 29.2 points per game, and center Joel Embiid.<\/p>\n
Saturday vs. Golden State (27-23), 5:30 p.m. <\/b><\/p>\n
It has become one of the more enjoyable moments to see LeBron James and Warriors All-Star guard Stephen Curry, two of the NBA\u2019s elder statesmen still flourishing, perform against each other. But Curry is dealing with a right knee injury, leaving his status unclear. <\/p>\n
Status report<\/p>\n
Bronny James (left lower leg soreness) is questionable and rookie forward Adou Thiero (right MCL sprain) is out.<\/p>\n
Cold, cold, cold ![\"It](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1770128656_506_.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
It was pretty cold in New York.<\/p>\n
(Adam Gray \/ Associated Press)<\/p>\n
Man, this trip has been a cold one.<\/p>\n
Snow in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n
Snow in New York.<\/p>\n
Snow when I was in Dallas, which meant it took 12 hours to get home to L.A. because of flight cancellations and delays.<\/p>\n
How about this weather report in New York over the weekend \u2014 20 degrees, but feels like 3. So, hearing from friends back home saying they were on the beach in shorts while I was freezing was just mean.<\/p>\n
Survey time<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a hot topic in our letters basket….. Do you want LeBron James to return to the Lakers next season?<\/p>\n
Click here to vote in our survey<\/a>.<\/p>\n Favorite thing I ate this week A maritozzo and a latte from illy in Italy.<\/p>\n (Thuc Nhi Nguyen \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n Hey, it\u2019s Thuc Nhi here! Ciao from Milan! I made it here after one aborted landing attempt at the Charles de Gaulle airport, which forced me to sprint through the terminal after customs to catch a 70-minute connection that was more like 30 minutes. My bags didn\u2019t catch up, but a maritozzo and a latte from illy made the wait a little sweeter. The Italian cafe chain has a location in the CityLife shopping mall across a park from the Main Press Center and after the traditional first-day Olympic activities of getting my credential validated and getting lost learning the press center layout, I definitely deserved a treat. For more Olympic adventures, you can follow me on Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n In case you missed it<\/p>\n Despite All-Stars\u2019 efforts, Lakers fade vs. Knicks on anniversary of Luka Doncic deal<\/a> <\/p>\n Lakers star LeBron James named an NBA All-Star for a record 22nd time<\/a> <\/p>\n \u2018We want Bronny\u2019: Guard Bronny James shines during Lakers\u2019 ugly loss to Cleveland<\/a> <\/p>\n Cavaliers court raises safety concerns again as Luka Doncic injures leg<\/a> <\/p>\n \u2018Like it was yesterday.\u2019 Lakers lose in emotional return to Cleveland for LeBron James<\/a> <\/p>\n Caitlin Clark as NBA analyst? Will she talk about praise from Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves\u2019 return?<\/a> <\/p>\n Until next time…<\/p>\n As always, pass along your thoughts to me at broderick.turner@latimes.com<\/a>, and please consider subscribing if you like our work!<\/p>\n ![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1770128657_704_.jpeg\")
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