The Los Angeles Lakers are looking to cement third place in the tightly contested Western Conference. Leading the charge are superstars LeBron James and Luka Doncic , but it has been Austin Reaves ‘ growth that has helped the team perform at the highest level possible.
After Doncic’s shock trade from the Dallas Mavericks, Charles Barkley believed the Slovenian would have growing pains with the Lakers. His logic stemmed from the fact that both Doncic and James are ball dominant playmakers. With both wanting the ball, it would be difficult to operate.
But head coach JJ Redick changed the way the Lakers play basketball, which saw James play off the ball. He would only don the playmaker’s role when Doncic sat on the bench. But off late, his time on the ball has diminished a lot more.
The reason, Austin Reaves takes over the ball even with James on the floor. The 40-year-old highlighted how this additional tweak makes it difficult for opponents. But where Reaves shines is in defying the odds of how a white, undrafted player would play. He stated this to ESPN.
You know, as a white guy in the NBA, I sometimes look at white players and I’m like, ‘They’re not very good’. So, it’s a stigma that I think is real.
Austin Reaves said
ESPN’s Dave McMenamin believes Reaves’ confession shows the guard thrives on defying the general notion. He knows opposition players might not respect him, considering how other white players in the league have fared. But Reaves’ play is spinning that logic differently.
Austin Reaves impressed LeBron James early on
Austin Reaves’ current production gives the idea that he could be a leading superstar on a bottom ranking team. He did get a chance to sign with a bottom ranking team, but he decided that the Detroit Pistons were not the ideal situation for him to grow.
Instead, he signed a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers as he wanted to learn from some of the best in the business. That gamble paid off instantly as Reaves’ college tape gave LeBron James the confidence that the then rookie was going to be a good player.
I saw that early, man. When we picked him up, I went back and started watching his Oklahoma highlights and stuff and seeing the way he could handle the ball and his creative [side], to be able to create shots off the bounce. His competitive fire, his drive. … I could see it. I could see he had a spirit about him. He had an energy about him.
LeBron James said
It is very difficult for a player to impress the all-time leading scorer that early in his career. But James saw a drive in Reaves that would help him develop over time. Now, that belief has been justified as the 26-year-old has emerged to become a core piece of the Lakers offense.
Lakers ‘Exciting Whites’ taking shape
LeBron James might not continue playing for much longer. But his belief in Austin Reaves could help the Los Angeles Lakers build a championship winning core for seasons to come. Now that Luka Doncic is a part of that core, the Lakers’ ‘Exciting Whites’ are taking shape.
There is no doubt regarding the Slovenian’s skills. But his skills off the ball get a major boost when he has another playmaker alongside him. Reaves’ ability to create his own shot along with finding open teammates is going to be the standard operating procedure for the Lakers.
Now if Dalton Knecht can develop into an all-purpose wing, the trio will make up the future of Los Angeles Lakers basketball. Knecht has had his moments this season. But nowadays he is not playing much with playoff seedings on the line.
If he can work out with top trainers and players in the offseason, next year, he can go on to justify the Lakers’ 17th overall draft pick. The Lakers are poised to build off these young 20-year-olds. Now they just need a young athletic center who can feed off them.
