If the Los Angeles Lakers are going to compete for a championship, then they must determine if Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic can coexist on defense. Their offensive proficiency and chemistry have been nothing short of electrifying, but their respective defensive woes are becoming impossible to overlook.
With Reaves headed for unrestricted free agency and a lucrative new contract, the Lakers must figure out if his defensive shortcomings can be rectified before they're locked into a new deal.
It's essential to note that Reaves isn't an all-around subpar defender, as he actually excels in some regards away from the ball. Thus far in 2025-26, he ranks in the 93rd percentile in off-ball chaser defense, the 78th percentile in screener rim defense, and the 71st percentile in screener mobile defense, per Basketball Index.
Unfortunately, Reaves continues to struggle in isolation situations—the type of weakness that teams routinely exploit during the playoffs.
Reaves currently ranks in the 26th percentile in perimeter isolation defense, per Basketball Index. It's a statistical reflection of a well-documented issue, as the 27-year-old has often been referred to as an underwhelming defensive presence in isolation.
The question facing the Lakers is as simple as it is impossible to answer: Is there a path to Reaves becoming a less exploitable defender?
Can Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic realistically coexist on defense?
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A fair argument can be made that Reaves has been positioned to play to his weaknesses on defense. It's not necessarily the fault of head coach JJ Redick, as he only has [so much proven defensive talent](https://lakeshowlife.com/nba-analyst-gives-rob-pelinka-ideal-blueprint-big-man-pair-with-luka-doncic) at his disposal to take pressure off of the stars.
With a roster that was built around three ball-dominant perimeter-oriented players, at least one of them was destined to be singled out by opposing defenses.
With that in mind, it's possible that the Lakers could resolve the issue [by completing roster moves](https://lakeshowlife.com/lakers-rumored-trade-deadline-plan-exactly-what-everyone-feared) to improve the defense. Adding a top-tier on-ball defender, for instance, would likely enable Redick to play Reaves away from the ball and thus cater to his strengths.
That could at least position Reaves to conserve energy and thus have more to offer when the time comes that he's targeted in isolation.
Lakers can alleviate pressure with a trade for a wing stopper
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For as vital as it is for the Lakers to strengthen the roster, the fact remains that Reaves needs to improve individually. No one should be asking him to become the second coming of Tony Allen, but he must at least meet the Kyrie Irving standard of being able to raise his defensive game in the playoffs.
If Reaves can simply avoid being treated like a player whom top-tier scorers can purposely isolate in the playoffs, the Lakers would instantly move closer to contending.
Until Reaves makes improvements along those lines, however, the Lakers will struggle to reach the highest possible tier. The Oklahoma City Thunder have set the pace for the NBA by trusting that every player on the court at any given moment can at least adequately defend their position.
If the Lakers hope to match what's becoming the new standard, then Reaves will need to step up as an individual defender regardless of who's next to him.
Austin Reaves' free agency will define the Luka Doncic era
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The conversation was easier to gloss over in 2024-25, when Reaves still had a fully guaranteed season left on his team-friendly contract. He's eligible to become an unrestricted free agent in 2026, however, and could command a star-level salary.
If that transpires, then the Lakers will effectively be trusting him to perform at a level that leaves no room for opposing teams to expose a glaring weakness.
Far too many contenders have paid top dollar for a player whose strengths are clear, but whose weaknesses become amplified by their cap hit and the restrictions it places on the roster around them. It's a decision that's marked the end of championship ambitions for far too many teams.
With this in mind, the Lakers can't be afraid to play hardball and hold Reaves to the star standard of eliminating exposable weaknesses before committing to paying him star-caliber money.