The Los Angeles Lakers are at a crossroads with Austin Reaves, and they would be smart to learn from the Dallas Mavericks before it is too late. Letting Jalen Brunson walk became one of the Mavs’ biggest regrets.
The Lakers could be heading down the same path. if they do not act fast and lock Reaves in long-term, they may come to regret it.
Letting Reaves walk could haunt the Lakers like Brunson did the Mavs
Reaves, like Brunson once was, is caught in that uncomfortable space between “solid starter” and “possible star.” Last season his numbers were the real deal. He averaged a career-high 20.2 points, 5.8 assists, and 4.5 rebounds, all while shooting nearly 38 percent from deep.
Reaves' game has grown every year. But because his postseason success has been quite rocky, questions now linger.
In the playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Reaves shot just 41 percent from the field and 31.9 percent from three, and his free throw attempts dropped from five a game to just 1.4. His assists dipped. The turnovers climbed.
Those numbers were definitely not ideal, but that should not erase what he brings to the table. The Mavericks once doubted Brunson’s playoff impact too. During Rick Carlisle’s final season, he averaged just 8 points per game in the playoffs. Fast forward a few years and look where he is at now.
Brunson is now the New York Knicks’ franchise player. He is one of the top point guards in the entire NBA and is an absolutely elite postseason performer.
He just wrapped up a postseason run, putting up nearly 30 points per game and dishing 7 assists. More importantly, he was the main reason why his team made the Eastern Conference Finals.
Dallas missed the window. New York did not. If the Lakers are not careful, Reaves could be that story again. If the Lakers want to bring him back, he will not come cheap.
One NBA exec told ESPN, “I think he [Reaves] will get $30 [million] plus.”
Even with that steep price tag, ESPN went on to later state they will most likely get the deal done.
“The expectation … is that Reaves ultimately will return to Los Angeles, which would cement Reaves’ role as the long-term running mate next to Doncic in L.A.’s backcourt—the role once held by Brunson then Irving in Dallas.”
The Lakers already have their superstar in Luka Doncic. They need the right kind of glue guy beside him. Someone who can create, shoot, and make the game easier. Reaves checks those boxes.
He may not end up being a Brunson-type player, but hey, who knows? No one thought Brunson would be who he is back now compared to back then. Reaves has all the tools to figure out his playoff woes; the Lakers just need to trust that he can.