The Los Angeles Lakers are going into this season without their leader, LeBron James, at the helm. James is out for some time due to a back injury. The lineup will be adjusted accordingly. With James not on the floor, Luka Doncic will step in as the top scoring option on offense, but who will be the second?
Who Will be the Lakers’ #2
No LeBron James, no problem, maybe. It’s yet to be seen. Players on the roster will see an uptick in their role, and one of those players is Austin Reaves. Reaves was the 2nd/3rd for the team while Anthony Davis was out with injury, and for a bit of the time that Davis was away since being traded to the Dallas Mavericks. But with that, Luka Doncic was brought to LA to be the #2 to LeBron James or even the #1, which would mean Austin Reaves would be relegated back to being the #3. But for the foreseeable future, James is out, so now Reaves will need to step up.
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Austin Reaves is a Reliable 2nd option
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Austin Reaves has a high basketball IQ and doesn’t always need the basketball to make an impact. He provides spacing on the floor and does a good job of cutting to the basket. But he can also score from three and get to the rim. Reaves is a threat to shoot from long range, and that can open up opportunities for him to drive to the basket. While he may not be the best defender in the league, he’s better than what some people give him credit for.
In the 2024-25 NBA season, Austin Reaves averaged 20.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game while shooting 46% from the field and 37.7% from three. His best game that year was against the Indiana Pacers on February 8th, 2025, where he scored 45 points, which was a career high.
Austin Reaves has proved that he can make plays as the 2nd or 3rd option. With Reaves being promoted to the #2, he has a chance to prove that he’s effective once again. The Lakers take on the Golden State Warriors on 10/21/2025.
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