The Los Angeles Lakers are a week-and-a-half away from opening the 2023-24 season, which they enter with legitimate championship aspirations. Before that quest can begin, however, there is still some NBA preseason business that requires at least some of their attention.

They face the Golden State Warriors Friday night in a game that is guaranteed to have at least one Lakers fan favorite in action. “Austin Reaves says he’s playing tonight for Lakers vs Warriors,” Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times reported several hours before tip-off is scheduled.

Reaves has played in just one preseason game so far, scoring 18 points in a 129-126 win over the Brooklyn Nets this past Monday. He should already be in top form after representing the United States in the 2023 FIBA World Cup earlier in the summer. The 25-year-old guard was unquestionably one of the standouts on a team that fell short of its goal of global hoops supremacy.

Reaves' rise has been meteoric since he proved to be a crucial part of LA's postseason push and Western Conference Finals appearance last season. He averaged 13 points per game on 53 percent shooting from the field and 40 percent beyond the 3-point line. The Lakers rewarded him with a four-year, $56 million contract in the offseason.

The Warriors should be one of several viable contenders in the West, so dispatching of them, even in an exhibition matchup, always feels good. Austin Reaves runs on a high motor, so expect him to put forth a high-quality effort in this no-stakes contest. Tip-off commences at approximately 10 p.m. ET.