The Los Angeles Lakers have made Austin Reaves the number two scoring option behind Luka Doncic, and it has him producing career numbers. AR wants a massive payday this summer, and it is coming. He has passed LeBron in the Lakers pecking order. Fans know Reaves isn’t chasing personal accolades (subscription required), but his franchise is making him a superstar.
AR wants to be a Laker, and there is no way Los Angeles is letting LeBron and Reaves walk in the same summer. If they want to make significant changes around Luka, it appears that it will be the NBA’s all-time leading scorer who’s looking for a new home.
The Lakers are off to a fast start and looking like a serious title threat. They have three stars leading their roster and the ability to further upgrade around them. This is the perfect situation for Reaves, and it will only get better from here.
Austin Reaves has passed LeBron James as the Lakers' number two option
The Lakers are still working on the kinks with their three stars in the lineup. LeBron missed all of training camp and the first 14 regular-season games. The fit has been clunky, especially with Luka on the bench. Reaves and James are searching for their spots, but the shift has clearly happened.
The Lakers are 6-2 in the eight games LeBron has played so far this season. Reaves has taken more shots than King James in six of those contests, and he has a 124 to 111 edge in field goal attempts. The free-throw gap is even larger with Reaves taking 58 to LeBron’s 28.
The 40-year-old superstar is relying more on his jumper as he rounds into form and has pushed his scoring down to a career-worst 16.5 points per game. Luckily, Reaves is ready to pick up the slack. He is ninth in the NBA in scoring for the season, and the Lakers see no reason to change that.
AR is currently out with a hamstring injury, but this could be a blessing for the Lakers. It will give LeBron a chance to round into form in a larger role, and LA will have three dynamic weapons playing at their peak when Reaves returns.
Reaves averages 27.8 points, 6.7 assists, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.0 steal in 36.9 minutes per game for the season. He is shooting 50.3 percent from the field, 36.9 percent on his 3-point attempts, and 87.5 percent from the free-throw line. He has been elite as the Lakers have fully embraced his leap.
What more could the 27-year-old ask for? He has gone from undrafted to superstar in Los Angeles. He is on a contending franchise with two future Hall of Famers and is the trusted number two scorer behind one of the four best players in the world.
The Los Angeles Lakers have granted Austin Reaves every possible wish during his five years with the franchise. They gave him a shot to play in the NBA and have expanded his role every season. Now, he has passed LeBron as their number two. The Lakers can finish this off by giving AR a massive contract in the offseason to remain with the franchise. It is trending in that direction, and fans hope Reaves can be a Laker for life.