The Los Angeles Lakers are not having the 2024-25 season they envisioned at the start of the year. While the team faced many uncertainties with rookie head coach JJ Redick, a trade for Luka Doncic was an unexpected move. Another surprising development has been Austin Reaves emerging as a legitimate NBA star.
Although Reaves had been a highly regarded Lakers guard for a few seasons, he had not been a consistent 20-point scorer until now. However, he has continued to improve and is proving he can take on the role of the team’s primary option.
In seven games this season with LeBron James on the court, Reaves has averaged 28.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 8.7 assists. The Lakers have a 3-4 record in those games, indicating that Reaves still requires support from his teammates. Nonetheless, his transformation from a player best suited to playing alongside LeBron to nearly scoring 30 points per game without him is a significant development.
Though some may downplay his progress because he’s with the Lakers and already receives a lot of attention, Reaves’ story is one of the best examples of player development in the NBA. After strategically remaining undrafted to join the Lakers, his decision has paid off, as he has become a bona fide starter for a contending team and possibly a future All-Star.
This season, Reaves is averaging 19.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 5.9 assists—his best performance to date. Despite concerns that his partnership with Luka Doncic would be awkward, the duo has been performing exceptionally well together in the backcourt.
Reaves has expressed his admiration for playing alongside Luka, stating that Luka’s competitive drive and skill make him a game-changer. He emphasized Luka’s desire to win, which excites him about their partnership. “When you put a guy like that on your team, and everyone knows how skilled he is, he makes the game easier for everyone else. It’s very good to have him on your team,” Reaves said.
Recently, Reaves spoke about the growing chemistry between him and Luka after they combined for 71 points in a win over the Phoenix Suns. “On-court chemistry is a real thing. Anytime that you can log more minutes together, you’re gonna figure out how to play with one another,” Reaves noted.
With Reaves averaging 17.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists alongside Doncic, this backcourt partnership looks promising for the future, especially as LeBron James begins to reduce his workload and eventually retires.
