Austin Reeves is preparing for a new chapter with the Lakers, but there’s one part of the upcoming season that still hasn’t fully sunk in.
The four-time MVP ended his eight-year run in Los Angeles and began the next phase of his career as a free agent, taking the court without LeBron James as a teammate for the first time in his NBA career.
Reeves told reporters at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas that the reality of James leaving still feels strange.
“I don’t know if I’ve dealt with it honestly,” Reeves told reporters, including ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “Starting a season without him on the team is going to be different for me. All I know is him being around, making jokes and acting like he’s 15 years old.”
James’ exit marks a major shift for the Lakers, who are now building around Luka Doncic and Reeves after signing the guard to a four-year, $185 million max contract this offseason.
That transition could be made easier by Reeves’ relationship with Doncic, who has quickly become one of the closest relationships on the roster.
“He’s one of my best friends on the planet,” Reeves said of his friendship with Doncic. “I talk to him almost every day. He sends me videos of his golf swing and asks me what he can do to get better, and I tell him I’m not a coach. …”
The Lakers also restructured their roster around a new core, adding Walker Kessler, Sandro Mamuklashvili, Quentin Grimes and Collin Sexton as they look to stay in the Western Conference playoff picture without James.
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