The Los Angeles Lakers have started the season better than most people expected. Despite battling injuries all year — with LeBron James yet to play a game, Luka Doncic sidelined by a sprained finger, and several other key players missing time — LA has found a surprising spark. Thankfully, Austin Reaves has been on a historic stretch like no other to open the season.
“34.2 PPG. 10.0 APG. 1.8 SPG. 52.5 FG%. 38.5 3P%. 89.7 FT%. That's what the Lakers' Austin Reaves is averaging in 5 games this season. No one else in NBA history has put up those numbers or better over any 5-game span in a single season,” Opta Stats posted.
Reaves has stepped up as the Lakers’ primary option — and he’s making opposing teams pay for it. Head coach JJ Redick told him heading into the season that this team belongs to him just as much as it does to the stars.
“It's as much Austin's team as it is LeBron's team or Luka's team,” Redick said. “I told him he's out of excuses. You're no longer the undrafted guy who's a young player. You're one of the guys now.”
However, Reaves is expected to opt out of his contract at the end of the year, and his market value is skyrocketing — a potential problem for the Lakers. Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale suggested that Los Angeles should consider trading him to the Houston Rockets while his value is high.
“At any rate, Houston has other assets that would interest L.A., including Tari Eason and nine incoming first-round picks. Any deal may need to be expanded to include more players and teams, but the Rockets and Lakers have the supplemental mid-end salaries to figure out something,” Favale wrote.
Such a move would shake up the Western Conference, and depending on what Houston gives up, the Rockets could quickly become one of the best teams in the NBA. Still, the Lakers are unlikely to move Reaves — he’s simply too valuable this season.
Reaves has remained loyal to Los Angeles, and that doesn’t appear to be changing anytime soon. The Lakers took a chance on him when no one else did, so it’s hard to imagine a future where he isn’t wearing purple and gold.