No more playing! Goodbye Reeves! Another NBA star suffers a calf injury

Recently, the Lakers officially announced,that Reeves suffered a mild strain in his left calf and will undergo a follow-up check in one week.

As for when Reeves got hurt, Lakers coach Reddick stated it is hard to determine the precise moment of the injury.

Due to the very fast offensive pace of all NBA teams this season,there have already been 15 players suffering from calf injuries—many of them star players, including Reeves, Giannis, Davis, Wembanyama, Morant, Mobley, Harden, Holiday, Shepard, Harper, and others.

So far, five teams average over 120 points per game: Nuggets with 125.5, Thunder 123.1, Heat 121.7, Knicks 121.0, and Rockets 120.6. Even the Nets, at the bottom, reach 109.5. In total, 22 teams have an offensive pace exceeding 100 possessions per 48 minutes...

Back to Reeves,he is currently third in the league with an average of 36.9 minutes per game this season, putting up 27.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 6.7 assists, and 1 steal per game, with a shooting percentage of 50.3%—although it comes at the cost of injury, these impressive stats will definitely help him pursue a super max contract moving forward.

Reeves earns $13.94 million this season and holds a player option next summer to decline and enter free agency early. At that point, he could sign a five-year, $240 million extension with the Lakers or join another team on a four-year deal worth up to $178 million. Given his phenomenal performance this season, he certainly deserves a max contract.

However, precisely because Reeves has played so well this season, the Lakers’ chances of keeping him are actually lower—unless they offer the max extension mentioned above. Without a max deal, they might consider trading him midseason to avoid losing him for nothing next summer.

Born on May 29, 1998, Reeves is a 1.96-meter tall versatile guard, a 2021 undrafted player, and a modern NBA inspirational success story. Next year, he is likely to earn a max contract and may even make his first All-Star appearance or best team selection. His career peak has arrived, and he won’t lack suitors—if not retained here, he will be welcomed elsewhere.

This season, the Lakers currently hold a 17-7 record, ranking fifth in the Western Conference, just one game behind the second-place Nuggets.