Austin Reaves Teases LeBron James After His G-League Workouts: “Bronny Starting, LeBron Assigned — Incredible!”

The positive atmosphere surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers this season has been one of the most refreshing developments of the 2025-26 campaign. With a 10-4 start, strong chemistry, and constant moments of levity behind the scenes, the team’s internal camaraderie has become just as entertaining as its on-court success.

And on Saturday night, that playful environment produced another viral moment — courtesy of Austin Reaves, who couldn’t resist cracking a joke about LeBron James.

Reaves pokes fun at LeBron’s G-League tune-up

After the Lakers’ 119-95 win over the Milwaukee Bucks, Reaves was asked about the team dynamic, and he quickly brought up LeBron’s recent practice sessions with the South Bay Lakers — a standard step in the recovery process.

Reaves delivered the punchline with a grin:

“How crazy is this? Bronny James starting an NBA game… and LeBron being assigned to the G-League. That’s incredible!”

The locker room burst into laughter.

LeBron, who has not yet made his season debut while recovering from right-sided sciatic issues, spent the past few days going through full-contact work with the G-League squad. Meanwhile, his son Bronny James, now in his second NBA season, made a surprise start against Milwaukee after Marcus Smart was ruled out late.

Bronny didn’t play heavy minutes, but he held his own defensively and avoided turnovers — a small but meaningful contribution in a nationally watched matchup.

A loose, joyful team — with Luka at the center of it

Lakers players and coaches have repeatedly said one of the biggest culture shifts this season has come from Luka Dončić’s personality. After navigating the emotional fallout of his midseason trade last February, the superstar guard has fully settled in and brought a lighter, more playful energy to the group.

Even LeBron recently mentioned that Luka is “naturally hilarious,” and that his presence has loosened up the locker room.

It’s a stark contrast to the culture of previous years, when the pressure of playing alongside a legendary figure like LeBron could sometimes make younger teammates feel tense or overly self-conscious. Now, with Luka sharing leadership responsibilities — and often being the source of the jokes — the environment is noticeably more relaxed and joyful.

This shift hasn’t diminished LeBron’s presence at all; if anything, teammates feel he’s enjoying himself more. With Luka carrying much of the nightly superstar load, LeBron can return with less pressure and more freedom to simply integrate and lead.

A happy team is a dangerous team

With Dončić playing MVP-level basketball, Austin Reaves having the best stretch of his career, Bronny showing flashes, and LeBron nearing his return, the Lakers’ on- and off-court chemistry is becoming one of the franchise’s major strengths.

The joking, the smiles, the energy — they’re all signs of a team that feels connected, confident, and unified.

This is the kind of environment that wins games in March, April… and maybe June.