It’s debatable whether the Los Angeles Lakers are better, worse, or the same as last year. While it is evident that JJ Redick’s team plays differently in some aspects under his rule, other aspects look eerily similar to those under Darvin Ham. That said, Lakers guard Austin Reaves is one part of this Redick-led team that does look different. He is having the best NBA season of his career. However, that doesn’t necessarily cover up all of Reaves’s flaws, which his coach pointed out publicly.
JJ Redick Outlines Lakers Guard’s Good and Bad
Lakers Guard Austin Reaves Receives Two-Handed Critique from HC
Even before D’Angelo Russell got traded, Reaves had established himself as LA’s third star behind LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Sure, “star” is a debatable term in conjunction with Reaves, given that he would likely not be viewed as such on another NBA team. In Los Angeles, though, with the Lakers, he’s the next, best, closest thing to another star they have.
If Reaves isn’t star-worthy in the true sense of the term, his numbers at least reflect what a team’s third-best player should produce on a nightly basis. He’s averaging 17.9 points, 6.2 assists, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game. His three-point shooting and efficiency aren’t great. However, given the Laker’s collective lackluster long-distance shooting, a few ticks above 36% isn’t terrible. Redick, who has made his affections for Reaves known even going back to his podcasting days, recently spoke about the good and the bad, as it were, of Reaves’ game.
“He has a daring mentality… when he’s played the right way… is a primary creator, and taking the right shot, made the right passes, I’ll be honest with you, he’s played an all-star level. It’s when the game kind of goes sideways…It’s like you can’t get out of character. You can’t then decide, I’m going to take bad shots, because I haven’t had a shot in a while. I’m going to make that pass. Our team needs you to play the right way every time that he’s done that.”
To Should or Should Not Trade
There is no denying what Reaves begins to the Lakers, star or not. Without him, the Lakers are even worse off this season and likely outside their current playoff positioning (21-17, 6th seed). What Redick described in Reaves’s good and bad elements is on point because we all see them every night. When the Lakers are playing badly, and Reaves mirrors that, he becomes turnover-prone and takes some highly questionable shots. But are his flaws worth the upside? Or, as Redick sees, the current All-Star level basketball Reaves is playing.
Reaves has been rumored in trade packages for a few months now. The Lakers are adamant they won’t be trading him. On one hand, Reaves is their most valuable trade asset. The return would be much higher than any other current player not named LeBron or AD. On the other hand, if the Lakers cannot make another significant trade between now and the deadline, they absolutely need Reaves if they have any aspirations of even making the playoffs.
The Lakers are unlikely to move Reaves, considering that the organization views him as a part of their future. Additionally, as it appears thus far, he and Redick look made for each other.
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