Should the Lakers Bring Back Austin Reaves?
In 2021, Austin Reaves went undrafted shortly after signing a two-way contract with the Lakers and achieved great success. He recorded his first triple-double against the Denver Nuggets in an overtime victory, recording 31 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists. Due to his successful and consistent play throughout 2021 and 2022, he signed a four-year contract in the summer of 2023. In his latest season with the Lakers, he averaged 20 points per game, becoming the third option the Lakers needed to complement Lebron James and Luka Doncic.
Recently, there have been questions about whether the Lakers should keep Reaves or not. The Lakers should because of the tremendous upside, year after year, that Reaves has shown. He has gotten better and better, plus his deal is very team-friendly to the Lakers at four years, $53 million; he isn’t costing the team much. Reaves' playmaking has also improved, and learning from Doncic will see Reaves become more of a playmaker who can be a crafty scorer when needed. His highest scoring game was when he scored 45 points back in February against a team that is now in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Indiana Pacers.
With his strong ball handles, there is room for Reaves to play point guard occasionally. He is a fan favorite and someone who stays out of trouble, who also provides the Lakers a sense of security, knowing that he won’t cause them any embarrassment they can’t handle. However, the biggest reason why the Lakers should bring back Reaves and not trade him away is his youth and promise. The Lakers have had so much promising talent in previous years, with Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randle, and Brandon Ingram on the roster at one point. Over the past decade, the Lakers have let so much promising young talent go to just have a championship that calls into question its legitimacy.
Overall, with mostly role players in free agency this season, and Reaves already showing he can be a reliable third option with his youth. The Lakers shouldn’t risk another successful young talent for someone who might be as talented but not have the basketball IQ and grit. Reaves should be kept and be someone the team can build around with good role players. He is a future talent that you can keep and build up, even after James is retired, as a second option.
