2 Los Angeles Lakers that will be kicked out of rotation by Austin Reaves
By Jason Reed
Austin Reaves has easily been the best story thus far this season for the Los Angeles Lakers. Reaves is the biggest positive that has come from the Lakers’ injury-reddened 3-3 start to the season and he is making an impact that not many expected he would.
Reaves had all the makings of being yet another gem find by the Lakers when they signed him just weeks before the 2021-22 season kicked off. However, this seemed to be a long-term play and with the Lakers’ rotation being loaded with veterans, it did not seem like Reaves would get much of a chance.
That has not been the case. The Lakers have dealt with injuries to four rotation players, opening the door for Reaves to average just under 20 minutes per game thus far. Reaves has been playing well and has been getting minutes alongside the Lakers’ best unit, which is a welcome sight to see for Laker fans.
Frank Vogel called Reaves’ play thus far outstanding and it is safe to say that he has etched his place in the Los Angeles Lakers rotation.
By doing so, Austin Reaves will kick two players out of the Los Angeles Lakers rotation
There are three guards who are currently hurt on the Los Angeles Lakers — Talen Horton-Tucker, Wayne Ellington and Kendrick Nunn. When the season started it was safe to assume that Reaves’ minutes would be the first to get cut when the team gets healthy.
That is not the case. The Lakers are going to have to cut into other minutes to make room for these injured players. The most likely outcome is that two players get axed from the rotation altogether while Kent Bazemore sees a reduction in his 28 minutes per game.
These two Lakers will be out of the team’s rotation when the Lakers get healthy and they have Austin Reaves to blame.