LeBron James will turn 40 in December. It's a fact that sports fans are endlessly familiar with at this stage, as the trailblazing Lakers star has rewritten the standard for longevity in the NBA and across the Atlantic at the 2024 Summer Olympics.
For as remarkable as it's been to witness James extend his prime in an unprecedented manner, the simple reality facing Los Angeles is that Father Time will ultimately win this battle.
It's difficult to imagine the NBA without James in it, let alone an era of Lakers basketball beyond him. It's the daunting reality that Rob Pelinka has been tasked with navigating, however, as Los Angeles can no longer afford to sacrifice long-term assets to fit James' unfortunately finite timeline.
This realization has driven many fans to the belief that the Lakers are squandering what could be the final chapter of James' storied NBA career.
James is still unbelievably productive. In 2023-24, he averaged 25.7 points, 8.3 assists, 7.3 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 2.1 three-point field goals made per game. The key to escaping the depths of team despair, however, will be limiting the burden that the soon-to-be 40-year-old shoulders on offense.
Thankfully, the Lakers don't need to look to the trade market for the solution. Austin Reaves is already on the roster.
Austin Reaves is the Laker who can extend LeBron James' career
Empowering players who can help carry the load as scorers and facilitators will be vital to preserving James' energy during the regular season. Several players are capable of alleviating some of the pressure, including D'Angelo Russell, who averaged 18.0 points and 6.3 assists per game in 2023-24.
As the Lakers search for an answer to not only extend James' career but help the team build for after he retires, however, it will be Reaves who proves to be the answer they've been searching for.
Reaves is one of the most dynamic young shot creators in the NBA, possessing creativity and skill on the drive, and well-rounded proficiency as a shooter. This past season, he averaged a career-best 5.5 assists per game, with many a result of his pick-and-roll, and drive-and-kick abilities.
Reaves ranked second on the Lakers with 8.4 drives per game to James' 10.3, shooting 55.5 percent from the field and leading the team in assists on such plays.
Playing in a system that should encourage more off-ball movement, Reaves will be positioned to take another significant step forward in 2024-25. There's ample reason to believe he will, as he's increased his scoring and assists averages in each of his three NBA seasons.
In 2023-24, he reached a career-best 15.5 points per game and displayed a compelling brand of versatility by shooting 36.7 percent on catch-and-shoot threes and 37.3 percent off of pull-ups.
A legitimate three-level scorer who can work with or without the ball and create for others, Reaves is on a path toward becoming the Lakers' true third star. He's justified that belief by averaging 16.9 points per game on .467/.404/.895 shooting through 21 career postseason games.
Perhaps the future will establish that a trade is still needed to maximize James' remaining window, but Reaves should be given every opportunity to prove otherwise before the 2025 trade deadline.
All signs point toward the 26-year-old continuing the trend of improving every season and becoming the star the Lakers need him to be.