At the start of the season, the Los Angeles Lakers‘ ceiling appeared to be an early playoff exit. However, the trade for Luka Doncic changed everything, and now the team is among the favorites to win the championships.
While Doncic is the biggest reason for the team’s resurgence, Austin Reaves has taken a major leap this season. He averaged a career-high 20.2 points per game this season and cemented himself as a high-end third option behind Doncic and LeBron James.
One person who has taken notice of Reaves’ play is James’ agent, Rich Paul. When talking about the Lakers’ upcoming matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Paul gave Reaves a shoutout.
“That’s not going to be an easy one for anybody. Anytime you’re dealing with that youth and size the Timberwolves have,” Paul said on the April 15 episode of the “Pat McAfee Show.” “And Ant being able to be Ant, he can give you 40 any night.”
“You have the experience with [James] and Luka [Doncic] being at the level that they play IQ-wise, but they’ll have to depend on the others as well,” he added. “Austin Reaves would be the x-factor in that series, I believe.”
Reaves Praises LeBron James
Reaves has been one of the most unlikely success stories in the NBA in recent years. He went from being an undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma to earning a spot on the Lakers.
Instead of bouncing between the NBA and the G League, Reaves quickly cemented himself as a rotation player. He’s now the third-best player on a championship contender.
James’ journey is far different, considering many were expecting him to be a superstar from the time he was in high school. Despite that, Reaves appreciates how James has treated him since he was an undrafted free agent.
“As all of y’all have probably seen from my rookie year when a tweet got posted from when I was 12 talking about, I basically was just talking (expletive) on LeBron,” Reaves told reporters recently. “Wasn’t a huge LeBron fan, I was a Kobe fan. So automatically, I didn’t love him. But obviously, I always respected his game and then just being around him every single day, the joy that he brings to the team. Like I’ve said, he isn’t ever in a bad mood. He’s always joking, laughing, having a good time. For him to welcome me from when I was on a two-way the same way as he does today, it just meant a lot to me. Obviously, being able to play alongside him just helped me grow every single day. So I owe him a lot for what he’s helped me accomplish. Yeah, he’s a pretty good guy.”
Can Reaves’ Success Translate to Playoffs?
Reaves has been a breakout player this season, but the season isn’t over. The Lakers have their eyes on the NBA Finals, and anything less than a championship would be a disappointment.
James and Doncic are proven playoff performers, but Reaves has never scored more than 23 points in a playoff game. While Los Angeles doesn’t need him to be a big scorer most nights, there will be times when Reaves has to take over. If he plays how he did in the regular season, the Lakers are going to be very difficult to beat.
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