Anthony Davis and LeBron James are the clear-cut franchise players for the Los Angeles Lakers. Beyond the superstar duo, however, is a talented roster that reached the Western Conference Finals as recently as the 2022-23 season.
At the heart of that supporting cast is perhaps the most intriguing player in the outlined young core: 26-year-old shooting guard Austin Reaves.
Reaves has been a revelation for the Lakers since he was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2021. He started 19 games as a rookie, and has become one of the top players on the roster following increasingly strong showings during the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons.
In an interview with Mike Trudell of NBA.com, new Lakers head coach JJ Redick heaped praise upon Reaves, but acknowledged an area in which he must improve: His conditioning.
"He’s excellent. I cannot wait to coach Austin. One of the reasons I can’t wait to coach him is because of his competitive spirit. He has a real mental toughness and competitive approach every single night. Him and I have talked, and I asked him about that actually, ‘Did you feel like you got tired at the end of the year,’ and he felt like he did. I think a big thing, partially in terms of how I want him to play in our offensive system, he’s gotta get in better condition, he’s gotta be able to move more, and based on our early conversations, he’s bought into that. "
A coach who's willing to hold players accountable, while also praising them for what they do right, is exactly what Los Angeles has needed.
JJ Redick wants Lakers guard Austin Reaves to improve his conditioning
Redick previously referred to Reaves as a, "Phenomenal player," praising his shot-creating and playmaking abilities. His recent comments continue the trend of highlighting what Reaves does well, but also speak to areas in which he could stand to improve.
Conditioning will be a big part of that, as Redick revealed that Reaves himself acknowledged that he felt fatigued towards the end of the 2023-24 season.
With improved stamina, Reaves' offensive role and defensive consistency could evolve as soon as the 2024-25 campaign. He'll be tasked with moving more without the ball, per Redick, which could result in receiving more open looks from beyond the arc and advantageous matchups in isolation.
The most important development in Reaves improving his conditioning, however, would be a much-needed improvement on defense.
A season ago, Anthony Davis earned All-Defensive First Team honors in spite of his surroundings. Davis was brilliant individually, but Los Angeles ranked in the bottom half of the league in scoring defense, opponent field goal percentage, and three-point field goals allowed.
Reaves improving on the defensive end of the floor would help Redick solidify the perimeter and potentially increase the team's ceiling as a whole.
It's hard to put that improvement past Reaves, who has followed in the footsteps of the likes of John Starks, Fred VanVleet, and Ben Wallace as undrafted rookies turned high-level NBA players. It's been one of the best stories in basketball over the past three seasons, as the former Oklahoma Sooner star has broken out with a marquee franchise.
In order to get to the next level, however, Reaves will need to address his weaknesses as much as he'll need to continue to improve in areas of strength.
Redick has already begun working with him to make that happen.