The Los Angeles Lakers have witnessed an Austin Reaves breakout that should have the front office putting their chips in for the needed pieces to contend for the championship immediately. The 27-year-old is averaging 32.0 points per game and sits fifth in the NBA in scoring after six games. He has scored over 20 in every contest and is playing like an All-Star.
The Lakers won four of their first six games, and still haven’t had LeBron James in the lineup. Luka Doncic even missed three games, but Reaves led LA to two victories without both superstars. AR is playing for a massive payday and earning every penny.
The Lakers entered the summer questioning their future. Reaves and LeBron will be free agents in the summer of 2026. Los Angeles locked in Luka. They can create significant cap space to build around him, but free agency is dead. The Lakers will have to make trades and should start as soon as possible.
Austin Reaves’ hot start should force Lakers to go all-in
The Lakers have three stars, but their defense and shot-making around them are questionable. They desperately need a stout point of attack defender capable of knocking down wide-open shots. Luka, LeBron, and Reaves will draw the defense. Getting a standout 3-and-D wing instantly vaults LA into serious title contention.
Pelinka has been hesitant to go all-in, but Doncic wants to win now. The superstar is in his prime and knows this is his best chance to win with LeBron. James turns 41 in December, and there are already questions about his ability to stay healthy. Reaves is ready to be the number two. That lets LeBron do less, but it only works if the Lakers get their missing piece.
Fans have heard the Andrew Wiggins rumors (subscription required), and he is just the type of player the Lakers should acquire to boost their title odds. He can get buckets, space the floor, and defend multiple positions. Wiggins fits in any lineup and raises the Lakers' ceiling.
Their pursuits shouldn’t be limited to Wiggins. They should be calling about any wing that improves their title odds. Los Angeles is just $1.1 million under the first apron, where they are hard-capped, but Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent, and Maxi Kleber are all on expiring contracts that could be moved.
It was a difficult call to go all-in with LeBron and Reaves potentially walking in the summer, but AR has opened the championship window. Doncic and Reaves are in their primes and want to finish their careers with the Lakers. It is time to make a bold move to see if they can be the dynamic duo that leads LA to a championship.
Austin Reaves scoring 120 points in three games without Luka Doncic and LeBron James should change the way the Los Angeles Lakers view this season. They have the two superstars needed to win it all, even if King James begins to decline. The Lakers must find the role players and should be all-in to acquire the final piece of the puzzle.