The Los Angeles Lakers have made a commitment to a future that could call much of the current roster into question. It's an admittedly outlandish statement when one considers that Los Angeles is currently 10 games above .500 at 29-19.
The identity of the Lakers changed overnight, however, when Rob Pelinka swapped franchise player Anthony Davis for All-NBA mainstay Luka Doncic.
While many are positioned to benefit from Doncic's arrival, some are facing questions that can't be answered until the games are played. Chief among those players is LeBron James, who will now enter into an on-court relationship with a fellow ball-dominant playmaker.
For as intriguing as that dynamic already is, the player who's facing the biggest questions is current starting point guard Austin Reaves.
Reaves and Max Christie, who was included in the trade for Doncic, had built a synergistic backcourt in recent months. Christie had emerged as the 3-and-D threat that the Lakers had been missing at shooting guard, while Reaves had come into his own as a borderline All-Star on offense.
The introduction of Doncic and the loss of Christie has called Reaves' role into question, however, thus requiring one to ask: Is there still a future in Los Angeles for their breakout player?
Can Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves form a championship-caliber backcourt?
Doncic represents the latest in a long line of All-NBA perimeter players who have spent time as Lakers superstars. He'll now be tasked with filling the massive shoes of franchise and Association icons such as Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Magic Johnson, and Jerry West.
It's an almost impossible expectation for any player to live up to, but Doncic has acknowledged the pressure that Lakers legends face and welcomed the challenge.
Reaves will be tasked with directly influencing how successful Doncic is in leading the Lakers to the lofty championship goals. They'll share a backcourt that offers undeniable promise on the offensive end of the floor, especially when one considers the form Reaves has been in over the past two months.
Since Dec. 13, Reaves has produced averages of 19.8 points, 7.2 assists, 4.9 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 2.6 three-point field goals made on .458/.388/.882 shooting.
Doncic, meanwhile, boasts absurd career averages of 28.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists, 1.2 steals, and 3.0 three-point field goals made per game. The production that both players bring to the table suggests they could form one of the best offensive backcourt duos in the NBA.
Unfortunately, neither Doncic nor Reaves are known for their defense—making the latter Laker a potential trade candidate if their union fails to produce ideal results.
It's the unfortunate nature of the beast, as Reaves is in the best form of his career—a statement that was said about each of his past three seasons. Despite his steady improvement, he's suddenly been positioned to either excel on defense or require replacement due to Doncic's own strengths and flaws.
Whether fair or foul, the Lakers are likely to give serious thought to moving Reaves if they come to the decision that Doncic needs a more defensive-minded perimeter partner.