The Los Angeles Lakers had to wait till the very end of their eight-game road trip to see Austin Reaves return to the lineup, but all that matters is he's back on the court at the end of the day to start shaking the rust off his game.

It was a sensational start to the season for Reaves, who was putting up All-NBA-level numbers alongside Luka Doncic with LeBron James sidelined at the start of the year. Reaves was still productive when James returned, but he was sidelined not too long after the fact.

On Wednesday night, Reaves made his return to the Lakers lineup in their 125-109 win over the Brooklyn Nets, appearing in 20 minutes and scoring 15 points and grabbing four rebounds.

Being out that long, it wasn't expected of Reaves to immediately contribute to the same level he was early this season, but the Lakers might not need that type of production given how LeBron has played as of late.

After the win, James was asked about Reaves return, talking on the subject of the rust he's still trying to shake off.

"For as long as he's been out, obviously, the number one thing is rhythm and then fatigue, how fast you get fatigued. Just a boost for all of us, especially at the end of a road trip, to get a guy like that back...Just happy to have him back," James said.

Luckily for Reaves, the Lakers will start a five-game homestand in the lead-up to the All-Star break, allowing Reaves some games to get comfortable before getting some rest. However, these contests won't be easy, with four of the five opponents being the mix for the postseason.

But, Reaves knows that he can't waste too much time getting back in a rhythm, especially with a new contract coming up this offseason, assuming he declines his player option. Regardless if his new deal is in LA or not, he'll have to prove he can still play near that level he did to begin the season.

Once the Lakers get Reaves playing in midseason, it will certainly help, but making some moves before or after the trade deadline might be what this team needs to take the next step.

Reaves will look to take another step back in the right direction on Thursday, when the Lakers host the Philadelphia 76ers at 10:00 p.m. EST at the Crypto.com Arena.