Lakers fans have experienced Austin Reaves’ growth in real time. Reaves went undrafted in the 2021 NBA Draft but signed a two-way contract with the Lakers, which was converted to a normal contract less than two months later.
The rest is history. Austin went on to become a dependable member of the Lakers’ rotation his first year, before having a breakout season in 2022-23. Now, he is one of the team’s most consistent bucket-getters.
Reaves now has the fourth-highest point average on the Los Angeles roster, 15.7, trailing only D’Angelo Russell. His primary weaknesses are on the defensive end of the floor. Austin is not a terrific defender, but he is incredibly useful due to his scoring abilities. Darvin Ham needs to be situationally aware of Reaves’ challenges.
If Austin is having an awful night offensively, Ham should give him a shorter rope going forward and not hesitate to bench .him. Reaves can become a burden if his shot isn’t falling, and keeping him on the court has resulted in some squandered leads and missed opportunities for the Lakers.
