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Lakers head coach JJ Redick during a game against the Charlotte Hornets in January 2026
For much of the season, the Los Angeles Lakers‘ injury report has been crowded with key contributors, a major factor behind an inconsistent campaign to date.
That trend may finally be easing.
Ahead of an eight-game road trip that begins on Tuesday against the Denver Nuggets, the Lakers are set to travel with something they’ve rarely enjoyed this season. Availability.
Outside of Austin Reaves and rookie Adou Thiero, who are both still sidelined with longer-term issues, Los Angeles expects the rest of its roster to be available.
A clean injury report for the Lakers in Denver on Tuesday – other than Reaves and Thiero
Lakers Finally See Injury Report Begin to Clear
The shift is notable given how turbulent the injury situation has been, with Rui Hachimura and Gabe Vincent spending extended stretches on the injury report before recently returning.
LeBron James and Luka Doncic have appeared sporadically throughout the season, while Saturday’s loss to the Portland Trail Blazers saw the Lakers without both starting center DeAndre Ayton and backup Jaxson Hayes.
That absence forced the sudden emergence of two-way big Drew Timme and highlighted how thin the roster has been.
Los Angeles has lost nine of its past 15 games and managed just two wins over a recent seven-game stretch. Despite still sitting at 25-16 and sixth in the Western Conference, the broader trajectory has trended downwards, with the play-in picture beginning to loom.
The Lakers rank last in the NBA in bench scoring at 25.7 points per game and sit 25th in defensive rating at 117.4. Against that backdrop, a clean injury report represents a rare opportunity to stabilise both rotations and roles.
The upcoming road trip offers a mix of opportunity and risk. Matchups against the Dallas Mavericks, Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards, and Brooklyn Nets present chances to stack wins.
However, the trip opens with difficult tests against an in-form Nuggets team and a surging Los Angeles Clippers.
Games against the Cleveland Cavaliers and a struggling New York Knicks add further uncertainty, as the margin for error continues to shrink.
Lakers Balancing Health Gains With Ongoing Concerns
While reports indicate that general manager Rob Pelinka continues to explore the trade market ahead of the February 5 deadline, head coach JJ Redick struck an optimistic tone following Sunday’s 110-93 win over the Toronto Raptors.
“We’re starting to get healthy, and hopefully we get [Austin Reaves] back soon,” Redick said, via Lakers Nation.
Reaves has been sidelined since late December with a grade 2 left gastrocnemius strain and is scheduled to be re-evaluated at the end of January. His return appears to be drawing closer, another potential boost for the rotation.
However, there remains ongoing concern surrounding Doncic, who has openly acknowledged playing through lingering groin discomfort in recent weeks.
He missed Saturday’s loss to Portland and appeared as questionable ahead of the Raptors game, but was ultimately cleared shortly before tip-off.
“It’s ok, not bad,” Doncic said post-game. “But obviously I’m gonna try to play through it.”
For the Lakers, a clear injury slate is about more than roster balance. It’s also critical to managing workload.
Doncic is averaging the fourth-highest minutes load in the NBA at 36.3 per night, while James, now 41, continues to require careful load management.
As the road trip begins, health alone will not solve the Lakers’ issues. But for a team searching for traction, having its core available offers the best possible starting point.
Matt Evans is a sports journalist from the United Kingdom, based in Paris, with over a decade of experience covering the NBA and wider global sport. More about Matt Evans
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