Austin Reaves Discussion: How Much Is He Worth?

yes, offensively. again, how many nba players put up 20/5/5?

as someone else said, who's this person we're signing or trading for that will be the guy you're after. these players just aren't moving these days. we've got this one in hand, and he'll likely take something of a hometown discount to keep playing here as luka's #2 when lebron retires. this allows us to fill out the rest of the roster with higher quality parts, too.

 

Offensively? Disagree. And I'd disagree for various reasons there, @abeer3. I don't think we could win a championship with him and Luka in the backcourt. I just don't see that happening. Discount or not, I'm sorry, I just don't see it.

 

So, nobody then.
Got it.

 

Getting incredibly defensive, and deflecting to completely irrelevant, fantasy subjects really strengthens your argument. It’s okay to be wrong. You’d catch a lot less flak if you admit it instead of attacking posters.

 

I'll give you an answer: if Toronto got it up their a** and want to say trade somebody like Scottie Barnes, who is apart of Bill Duffy's client list, and they wanted to discuss Austin as the centerpiece, I'd be open to it.

Now, admittedly, there's very few of those players available, and they're usually not trade, but you wanted an answer, so I gave you one.

 

ok. i can see it. three elite defenders who can finish plays, one more bench scorer who can carry offense for a few minutes against second-stringers, two more playoff-quality role players, and i think you have it. i don't know that the gap between a jamal murray or jaylen brown type and reaves is as big as it seems.

 

Murray was fantastic in the Finals run; they also had elite "defensive" wing play from Gordon during that time. Defensively, Brown & Reaves aren't in the same league. You watch the games, I respect that, and this is my concern: if Luka & Kyrie (who's better than Austin) couldn't get it done, we're expecting an Austin & Luka pairing to get it done?

I'll also add: I remember vividly that same Boston team (minus I think Lewis) when KD was in Brooklyn swept Brooklyn and made Kyrie looked awful in a series where they were more physical and had the wing play to throw at Kyrie and make life extremely difficult. Now, a lot of this is dependent on matchups; getting through the regular season, I get that.

I'd feel more comfortable with 2 max players + Austin as your third wheel, which I pitched weeks ago. I think that's the receipe

 

Lol. Unhinged. Your take was terrible, so you now resort to insulting me personally when you don't know anything about me. I've been a Lakers fan for 30 years, and will be for another 30 years, God willing.

 

My takes are left to be determined, but I have nothing but time. We'll see how this year plays out. I'll be here. . And if last year turns out like this year, hmmm, we'll see. LOL.

 

This. Luka already went to the Finals with Kyrie as the number 2. Austin can definitely be at the level Kyrie was that year or better. It's the other players that need to complement them defensively.

 

This is what I mean...this is crazy.

You guys come at me, and I'll take my lumps & deservedly so, but when we're saying stuff like this, most people in their right basketball minds aren't going to take you seriously, bro.

Go on a forum other than a Lakers site and present that scenario; you'll get shot down so quickly.

 

Either way, I'm out. Off to work. Unfortunately, somebody has to pay the bills, and it won't be Austin.

 

yes. this is my point? murray elevated his game in the playoffs on several occasions. reaves can do this, imo, and has. you're putting an awful lot into his one bad series, which he was injured for half of.

brown's defense is pretty overrated because he's a good athlete, imo. both reaves and luka can function as part of a good team defense; they just need specific kinds of players around them--much like murray and jokic do. we don't currently have them, but we could get them, imo.

they got to the finals and lost to a very, very good boston team. luka was on fumes at that point, too.

that build isn't possible in the second apron era, imo. the only reason the thunder are getting away with it right now is that all their guys are young. as such, their maxes are lower, allowing them to pay their elite role players (hartenstein, dort, caruso) pretty good money. but even that's on borrowed time. their projected payroll next year is 246 million (2nd apron projected at 223). the year after that, they're basically at the first apron with dort, hartenstein, and cason wallace all at zero dollars.

so, yeah, three maxes (or two maxes and a reaves type) is great in theory. but it sort of can't exist. the thunder will get this year, and there's a good chance they repeat as champion with it. but the bill will come due, and they'll have to make tough decisions and be back with the rest of us.

or this shorter version. the blueprint is there. not sure why it's a crazy take. kyrie is good, but he's not the kyrie from several years ago.

 

I seem to remember that Mavs team being beaten soundly in the Finals, in large part because a 31 year old Kyrie couldn't sustain his production against White/Holiday/Brown. As opposed to the younger, more athletic version of him that torched the Warriors.

That's the whole question with Austin - whether he has matchup resilience. If you're going to be the #2 option on offense for a championship team, you need to be able to sustain or even raise your game against better, more focused defenders and a playoff whistle. If we're down 2-1 to the Rockets and he needs to keep the offense afloat for a few minutes with Amen Thompson hounding him, can he do that? I'm not sure. We already saw the physicality of the Wolves' perimeter defenders impact him last playoffs. We even saw it some in the opener against the Warriors.

Maybe he can - there's a point where skill outweighs any physical limitations. Like Brunson. Maybe Austin gets there, I don't think we're going to know until April.

 

this is all fair. but since you brought it up: in a world where brunson is an unquestioned #1, are we really sure reaves is a questionable #2?

 

How is it crazy? If you support your argument with evidence, then your takes will be taken rationally. As is, your posts often give negative opinions that are unsupported.

For example, in 2024 when Luka took his team to the Finals, Kyrie scored 22.1 pts, 5.1 pts, 3.7 rebs, and was not better than Austin defensively. It is clearly reasonable to say that Austin can be at that level, and yet you call it crazy. With no reasons given. And then resort to insulting posters by saying that people in their right basketball minds aren't going to take you seriously, bro. Just come up with better arguments, or chill, and root on Austin and the Lakers without unwarranted disparagement.

 

It's solely because we've seen Brunson shoulder huge responsibility and hold up in the playoffs, even if they haven't made the Finals. If we see that (obviously to a lesser degree since Luka is here) from Austin this year great, back up the trucks for him. That's the ideal scenario for us.

I really hope that when LeBron comes back, we see Austin remain as the #2 scorer/creator with LeBron playing a different kind of role. Would be the best thing for the team not only on the court, but for us to judge how the team needs to be constructed going forward.

 

Statmuse reports that Austin, who was not picked in the NBA draft, has more 45+ point games in his career than Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem
Whoa
When is the trade deadline ?
Rea es and some other scrubs for DeRozan should work

 

Anytime anyone busts 50 it is spectacular. This was next level but it isn't surprising that Austin had a massive game in this situation. I was thinking a mid 30s near triple double and a win. I understand people that haven't watch Austin closely not seeing it. He is more athletic than most think and a high IQ guy. Easy number two dude and worth what we have to pay to keep him. Admittedly, contract numbers, tiers and aprons make my brain hurt. I'm thankful for those of you that make it easy on the rest of us.

 

Come on now ..... that's impossible (??) what are you looking at, please post.