The Los Angeles Lakers have presented Austin Reaves with a new challenge. With LeBron James embracing his status as the No. 3 player on offense, Reaves has officially been slotted in as the No. 2 behind Luka Doncic. As such, a learning curve has inevitably been created.
Though Reaves has played well since formally taking on the No. 2 role, one alarming trend has revealed itself: He's settling for long shots and thus limiting his superior value as a downhill player.
Reaves is one of the most dynamic downhill guards in the NBA. He's just as likely to trap a defender in the spin cycle and finish with finesse around the rim as he is to find an open shooter along the perimeter. That invaluable skill has been the core element of his success as a scorer and playmaker in 2025-26.
Following the Lakers' Mar. 10 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, Redick noted exactly that when he plainly stated that Reaves is at his best when he's getting downhill.
"He was able to get downhill. That's that's the biggest thing. That's when he's at his best. He's a fantastic shooter, but he's at his best best when he's touching the paint."
Redick's comments were made after Reaves attempted 10 three-point field goals against Minnesota—the first time he'd hit that mark in more than 20 games. Unfortunately, it was the start of a trend.
Austin Reaves settling for jumpers when he should be getting downhill
Over the past nine games, Reaves has averaged 7.1 three-point field goal attempts per game. It was justifiable when he buried four of his 10 attempts during the aforementioned win over the Timberwolves, but Redick seemed to have spotted an alarming trend before it took hold.
Over the past six games, Reaves is shooting 23.1 percent from beyond the arc and 56.9 percent on two-point field goals. So why is he attempting 6.5 treys per game during that time?
Reaves is a quality shooter who's converting 36.1 percent of his attempts from distance in 2025-26 and has a career mark of 36.8 percent. Though he's a respectable three-point shooter, he's a certifiably elite downhill player.
For as exaggerated as that take may seem, Reaves has prove in 2025-26 that there are only a select few players who even begin to compare to his downhill brilliance.
Austin Reaves is a solid shooter, but an elite downhill player
Reaves is currently one of five NBA players averaging at least 9.0 points via drives per game while shooting at least 57.0 percent from the field on said attempts. The other four are All-NBA locks assuming they meet the 65-game minimum: Doncic, Anthony Edwards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Donovan Mitchell.
According to Basketball Index, Reaves also ranks in the 91st percentile in one on one shot making and the 92nd percentile in rim field goal percentage.
That paints a clear picture of the skill that Reaves should be prioritizing. He should absolutely continue to shoot the three, but his overemphasis on the outside shot is about more than numbers. He's sacrificing driving opportunities to fix a shot that isn't working when the Lakers need him to be more assertive in attacking the basket.
Considering Redick already called this out, one can only hope that the message will resonate with Reaves before the playoffs roll around and such trends can negatively impact a series.