Austin Reaves has steadily emerged as one of the most compelling success stories in the NBA. An undrafted free agent who made his professional debut at 23 years of age, Reaves has become one of the better shot creators and playmakers below the All-Star line.
With LeBron James now 40 and D'Angelo Russell traded to the Brooklyn Nets, Reaves is taking yet another step forward as he begins his pursuit of the very line that's eluded him.
Reaves has played well in 2024-25, albeit with a slight decline in his efficiency. Through 27 appearances, he's averaging 18.3 points, 5.7 assists, 4.3 rebounds, 0.9 offensive boards, 1.0 steal, and 2.6 three-point field goals made—all of which are career-best marks.
With a slash line of .449/.361/.809, Reaves has consistently produced at a level that more than justifies his $12,976,362 salary.
For as true as that may be, the pressure on Reaves far exceeds what his team-friendly contract would imply. LeBron James has limitations at 40 that weren't present, or at least not as obvious, in previous seasons, and Reaves is the best candidate to offset some of those potential issues.
Thankfully, across an admittedly limited sample size, Reaves has proven capable of not only sharing the workload, but carrying it himself.
Austin Reaves coming into his own as a go-to player for Lakers
Over his past eight games, Reaves has taken his game to an entirely different level. Since Dec. 13, he's averaging 22.1 points, 7.8 assists, 6.3 rebounds, 1.0 steal, and 2.5 three-point field goals made per game, posting a slash line of .468/.377/.854.
That includes the past three outings, during which Reaves has posted at least 26 points and 10 assists in every game played.
That began with a 26-point, 10-rebound, and 10-assist performance during a 115-113 win over the Golden State Warriors. It continued when Reaves tallied 26 points and 16 assists in a 132-122 victory against the Sacramento Kings.
Los Angeles dropped the next game to the Cleveland Cavaliers, but Reaves did everything he could on offense with 36 points and 10 assists, as well as nine rebounds and a steal.
An eight-game sample size, let alone a three-game stretch, is vastly insufficient for the purpose of any bold declarations. It's a clear example of what Reaves is capable of providing, however, as a crafty and dynamic isolation player.
Whether he's creating for himself or others, Reaves has proven himself as far as generating offense against any caliber of defense is concerned.
If Reaves can maintain this welcome uptick in production, the Lakers would take a significant step toward contending. It would not only alleviate pressure from James during the regular season, but open the door for supporting players to have a more defined role within the rotation.
Expecting a nightly double-double would be unfair, but if Reaves can consistently produce in the range of what he's done over the past eight games, a 50-win pace could be achievable.