AustinReaves

Preseason question: Is Reaves the right costar for Luka Doncic? This summer, Reaves graduated to a full-blown max player and undisputed second banana for the NBA’s most glamorous franchise. But as fun as Reaves’s rise from a plucky young 2-guard who improbably earned LeBron’s trust has been, he enters this season—and this new era of the Lakers—under immense pressure to live up to his new marquee billing. 

 

Offensively, the Reaves-Doncic pairing is a home run. Their creativity will infuse even the most low-stakes possessions of the Lakers’ most meaningless games with highlight potential. Defensively, questions abound. And L.A. blew all of its trade ammunition on Walker Kessler, leaving Reaves as the only real team-building escape hatch. If this version of the Lakers can’t compete with the likes of OKC and San Antonio, swapping Reaves for a less redundant costar might be L.A.’s only option.