Austin Reaves Discussion: How Much Is He Worth?

He failed last year in the PO's He was horrible. Probably a big reason why we looked so bad and why we lost. He was the focus of the defense in the "regular season", and he did well. How does he do in the PO's in a seven game series; probably not well if he's the number 1 option, right? I like regular season Reaves. Admittedly, he's done well in 1 PO push when we went to the WCF. He was awful last year.

And I don't like the long-term pairing with him and Luka; I want a bigger version of what Austin does offensively but is a monster defensively, but those are usually max level players that don't grow on trees. Maybe if he's paired with a max player level next summer with Luka, I'll feel better and LBJ's old a** is out of the equation.

Maybe I won't b***** as much.

 

He can do what he wants; you decline an extension, and you're going to ask for the kind of money he wants, and you'll get the good, bad, & ugly from it with this fanbase.

Deal with it.

 

I can deal with it. You're looking waay off though in multiple things you said above that were debunked right off the bat.

 

As in? LOL. I just responded to you, but come back to me in a week and tell me what you think then, right?

 

As in what he has already PROVEN he can do when the sole high scoring player on the team facing defenses plus the crazy crack about AR of all people chasing "stats". And I said it's not guaranteed OR ideal. Your reading comprehension starting to slip?

 

There’s guys every single year getting max money who have at least one serious hole in their game.
Austin is worth whatever his agent can get from the Lakers.
Again, his upcoming contract is not the issue with building a properly balanced team around Luka.

 

He led 1 game last year with 45 in a win against Indiana. Name me the other ones where he led us and we won? I can't remember; actually, better yet, let's see if he leads the team in scoring (he probably will), and if that leads to wins (in the next week or so) on the basketball court because at the end of the day, that's all that really matters...

 

None of this is ideal. It is what it is. But your shots at AR because of it make zero sense. Chasing stats? Get a grip. You're not the only one here that wants wins.

 

I think you're overrating the hell out of him. I think most of this site is, but whatever. If he's that good (In your eyes), then we'll win most of these games Luka is out, right? Bear in mind, I like Austin, too, but my goodness, you act like he's a top 10 player.

 

I don't know why you are even going there, and it's deflection honestly. You were ROFL ing at the thought of him stepping up and doing it on his own when he's done it multiple times for wins no less, against Pelicans, C Bags, Pacers. There haven't been ALL that many times he's had to be the sole top scoring option. And the stats chasing remark. These are where my push back is coming from. It's not about overrating him.

 

Unhinged. Nobody expects us to win most of these games. Probably wouldn't with solely LeBron instead of Austin, or even Luka alone instead of Austin. It's such a huge handicap to be without the 2 best players on the team. But your shots came out of nowhere, to disparage the best player we have available tonight for some reason. It's strange. Just root for both Austin and the team to do well, it's not hard.

 

Right. There were only 2 games last season where Austin played without any of Luka, LeBron, or AD. One was the game where he went for 45, 7 & 7, in a win over Indiana. The other was a game where he went for 37, 13 & 8, in a game against Denver where the Lakers were tied or even took a small lead in the last minute, until Denver took the win. Austin's other starters that game were Goodwin, Knecht, Vando, and Alex Len, with even worse off the bench, against a full strength Denver team.

It's a small sample size, we may or may not win any games this week, but it's just weird for someone to take shots at Austin right now. Nobody thinks he's a top 10 player currently, just that he can be awesome at times, and we are hoping for that tonight.

 

I think it's still very much an open, and fair, question as to whether we should lock in Austin as a long-term partner for Luka. I think Austin is something like the 50th best player in the league. That's really good, but not good enough that you just do it and figure out the fit later. I'm just very skeptical of scoring/playmaking guards with below average athleticism holding up as scorers/creators against playoff defenses and actual gameplanning, especially when some of the cheap foul-baiting stuff dries up.

But those questions aren't going to be answered in this stretch without Luka. Austin will probably play well, put up good numbers, and we'll go like 1-3. That wouldn't be an indictment of him.

 

Reasonable take.

 

Well there's a whole bunch of these types of players available by next year like Vlade wants. As opposed to "possibly" AR at 32-34M .... after we let the season play out.

 

We would win this game with Luka along and Austin injured. Sac is horrible defensively. LBJ is old, but if he's on his "good legs", we're competitive. I thought you would know what about Sac; do you not watch other games? It's not that difficult.

 

Oh, yes you do.

 

Yes, I'd rather take "that" archetype if they were available or trade for them.

 

Very genius of you with the armchair GM ing. There's like 5 or 6 guys perfect like that, none of them available, and certainly not with what the Lakers can trade, not to mention gutting the team to where everyone else we're back to vet minimums after the gutting.

 

I will never understand the under appreciation from some Laker fans of what Austin has done, and continues to do for this team.