The Los Angeles Lakers are transitioning into a new era after being sold to Los Angeles Dodgers owner Mark Walter.
Amid the transition, there has been some crossover between the Lakers and Dodgers organizations, and it seems like that might’ve made a difference for Lakers guard Austin Reaves in the 2026 NBA Playoffs.
Reaves reportedly “conducted part of his oblique rehab with the Dodgers’ medical staff” during the NBA postseason. Yaron Weitzman of Yahoo Sports shared details and relayed a quote from an MLB executive.
“Bolstering the performance staff appears to be [Andrew] Friedman’s and [Farhan] Zaidi’s other priority,” wrote Yaron. “‘We’re working in collaboration with some of the Dodgers folks to bring in a biomechanics lab,’ [Rob] Pelinka told reporters. Until then, players may have to get used to working with the baseball group at Dodgers Stadium. That, according to two league sources, is what the Lakers told Austin Reaves to do while he was rehabbing from an oblique injury during the playoffs.
“That confidence in their medical team, though, is not without reason.
“‘They’re known for taking care of players and being able to get the most out of them,’ the MLB executive says. ‘The giant contracts obviously play a big role, but the way Andrew and his department are able to help players get the best out of themselves has become a major recruiting tool.'”
Reaves suffered an oblique injury near the end of the regular season for the Lakers, a tough blow for a team that was hoping to make a run in the playoffs. Making matters worse was that fellow guard Luka Doncic went down with an injury at the same time for the Lakers, putting the team in an incredibly tricky spot heading into the postseason.
Doncic wasn’t able to return during the playoffs, but Reaves returned earlier than expected and was able to help L.A. in the final games of the first round and the entirety of the second round. The fact that he was able to come back so soon might be a testament to the job the Dodgers’ staff did.
After returning, Reaves averaged 20.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game in the playoffs. It wasn’t enough for the Lakers to get past the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round, but the team did well just to win a playoff series this year given the circumstances.
The Dodgers have become perhaps the premier organization in all of baseball, and if that’s any indication of where the Lakers are headed, fans of the Purple and Gold have a lot to be excited about. The Dodgers have won three World Series titles since 2020 and are currently enjoying a streak of back-to-back championships that they are looking to extend this year.
This will be the Lakers’ first offseason since the sale to Walter was finalized, so it will be a fascinating summer to monitor in L.A.
