The absence of LeBron James until mid-November will be a prominent sore spot for the Lakers. However, Austin Reaves reminds the media that the Lakers have to forge ahead together, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

“We have to do it as a collective” he said. Additionally, Reaves mentioned his growth from his rookie year to where he is now.

“My rookie year, I literally never spoke,” Reaves said. “I didn’t talk to anybody.”

Reaves is beginning his fifth season with the Lakers. Last year, he achieved a career high 20.2 points per game. Additionally, Reaves averaged 5.8 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game. Going into this year, Reaves is not anytime soon signing a contract extension.

Over the summer, he rejected an $89.2 million contract extension, therefore putting him in place to look for a new deal in 2026. In July 2023, Reaves signed a four-year $54 million contract with the Lakers.

The Lakers are looking to bounce back after losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs. Additionally, this year will mark the first full season for Luka Doncic.

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Their final preseason game will be on Saturday against the Sacramento Kings. The Lakers will begin their regular season on Tuesday Oct. 21 against the Golden State Warriors.

How the Lakers can start off fresh without LeBron James

Altogether, it's not all lost for the Lakers at the outset. Even without LeBron, they still have some notable players who can set the tone from the get go.

One of those is Reaves. He can step up and set the example for scoring and playmaking. According to StatMuse, Reaves averaged 27.9 points, 8.3 assists, and 6.6 rebounds in 9 games when James wasn't playing.

Plus, Doncic can step up and take control of the offense with his explosive dynamism that mirrors aspects of LeBron's game. Meanwhile, Jake LaRavia, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Rui Hachimura each have the versatility at both ends of the floor.

All in all, the Lakers still have the pieces in place to remain in good standing.