Underperforming: Austin Reaves
Lakers fans hoped Reaves would blossom into a third star this season. He took a significant step forward in his second NBA campaign and played for Team USA in the summer. Would that be enough to vault Reaves into star status? It hasn’t happened yet.
The 6’5 guard is averaging 15.8 points, 5.4 assists, 3.9 rebounds, and 0.9 steals in 31.1 minutes per game. He has played in all 56 games but made just 31 starts. Reaves is shooting 49.0 percent from the field, 36.5 percent on his 3-point attempts, and 86.3 percent from the foul line. He keeps getting better but is more key role player than an All-Star.
The 25-year-old still has room to grow and his numbers have improved as the season progressed. Can Reaves take his game to another level in the playoffs? His breakout could still be on the horizon, but fans have not seen it yet.
Can the Los Angeles Lakers get into the playoffs and make a deep run? They will need LeBron James and Anthony Davis playing like superstars. Their underperforming talent must play better for it to become a reality. The Lakers have no time to waste, so stay tuned to see how they perform after the All-Star break.