​Two weeks ago, LeBron James’ agent revealed the four-time NBA champion would not be returning to the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency this summer.Austin Reaves, who signed a four-year, $180 million deal with the Lakers this offseason, played alongside James for the first four seasons of his career on the Lakers. Reaves told reporters he is still processing not having James on the team next season.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“I don’t know if I’ve honestly processed it yet. I was kind of thinking about it last night when I got here. Starting a season without him on the team is going to be different for me. That’s kind of all I’ve ever known. Him being around, joking around, like he’s 15. That’s his decision, and like I said in Tahoe and anytime I’ve talked about it, I’ve got nothing but love and respect for him,” Reaves said, per ESPN.Feb 26, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) with forward LeBron James (23) against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn ImagesTrading for Luka Doncic in February 2025 was the start of a new era for the Lakers, as James was no longer the face of the franchise. James’ departure this summer and the addition of several new players means the Lakers will look very different next season.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWalker Kessler, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes, Kevon Looney and Ziaire Williams will join the Lakers next season. Reaves said he is excited for the new era with these new players.“The pieces that are coming in, I’m very excited about and I’m happy to get started today and see where it goes,” Reaves said.Reaves will be a huge part of this new Lakers’ era, and he will be a strong partner on the court for Doncic. His contract keeps him with Los Angeles for at least four seasons and includes a player option for the 2029–30 season.Apr 21, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) and guard Austin Reaves (15) look on from the bench during the second half of game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn ImagesPhoto Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn ImagesThe post Austin Reaves Opens Up About LeBron James Leaving the Lakers appeared first on LA Sports Report.