The Los Angeles Lakers’ season has seen ups and downs, and the handling of Austin Reaves, who had a breakout campaign last season, has raised eyebrows. Despite receiving a new four-year, $54 million contract in the summer, Reaves found himself moved from the starting lineup to the bench in early November by head coach Darvin Ham. While Reaves accepted the reassignment, there are now reports of potential issues between him and Ham.

According to Anthony Irwin, there are clear problems between Reaves and Ham, possibly related to Reaves playing fewer minutes than expected. Irwin suggests that the situation could escalate to the point where an agent or the front office gets involved to inquire about the decisions surrounding Reaves’ playing time.

“This possible thing between [Reaves] and Ham is… something. I’m here to tell you, I’ve heard it very clearly, that for whatever reason, Ham doesn’t mess with Austin the way that you would think he would. This might escalate all the way to where an agent gets involved or the front office gets involved and people start asking what is going into these decisions?”

The Lakers, currently at a 17-17 record, have faced trade rumors, with Reaves often mentioned. However, despite trade speculation since the summer of 2022, the team has reportedly been reluctant to include Reaves in any trade offers.

The situation adds an additional layer of complexity to the Lakers’ season, with fans expressing discontent with Ham’s coaching decisions. The dynamics between Reaves and the coaching staff will be closely watched as the team navigates the challenges of the season.