Austin Reaves Discussion: How Much Is He Worth?

Posted over there after last night's game by @mad5555777 in reply to this post below.

Lakersfan1211 wrote:
Quote:
Austin Reaves over the last three games:

27.3 PPG
5.3 APG
5.0 RPG
56.8% FG
42.1% 3P
85.7% FT
36.2 MPG

"This is off ball AR, just efficient.
I just think he is a very valuable piece to have. He can play with the ball and also play off the ball, most stars can’t do it."

 

I used to post there more than I have ever posted here. That site just has too many know-it-alls. Too much meaningless noise from people who just wanna have big balls for the internet. I had to walk away. Just couldn't take the constant negativity over every little thing. I'm a fan, I am here to have fun and learn a thing or two. I don't want some guy trying to beat me over the head with his horrible takes. Blech!!

 

I'm always hungry for Laker talk, and when it dries up here I go read there. Very true what you say. But also a lot of really great posts over there in general, and in rebuttals to it .... the rampant negativity and can't wait for failure in any game to back up which player or front office person to bag on.

 

Reaves has taken another step forward that I wasn’t sure he was capable of. He has improved his efficiency, output and defense.

It’s really impressive, but we need to see him sustain it and also do it against turned up competition in the playoffs. If he does, then who cares what he signs for, he deserves it either way.

 

I don't know, I've put a ceiling on Reaves too many times. He might be better than Luka for all we know...

 

There were a lot of guys I liked over there, I just couldn't take the overwhelming intensity and self riotousness of the negativity. This is supposed to be fun and honestly I think most younger fans just feel entitled to winning. They have no appreciation of the journey and they cannot relax and just enjoy the ride. They suck and I can only ignore them so much.

 

What about Maxi? Too much?

 

I think Reaves can be the second best player on this team, above Lebron & Luka. But let's not get carried away.

To put it into perspective how Reaves he has been this season, he is averaging more points, assists, rebounds, a higher TS% with better defense on a better team than Steph Curry.

Reaves: 28.1 PPG, 7.6 APG and 5.1 RPG on 65% TS%.

Steph: 27.9 PPG, 4.1 APG and 3.6 RPG on 64% TS%.

 

Really? Nice get!

 

Well, I hate it when people brings facts into an internet ball buster argument!!
Reaves sucks!!! You know it, I know it and I am always right!!!!!!!

Stop me!!!!!!

 

I don't think anybody was ever questioning the "fit" offensively. I think the "detractors" if you want to call them that are questioning the "slot" of Austin on a championship team. I saw a more positive individual list Austin has $33-42 million per year; again, I don't mind that salary, and if it's structured correctly, get your money Austin.

I just don't want it to interfere with adding another level FA if they're available; now, if there is none available next year, LBJ leaves, and you have no choice but to build around Luka & Austin, then you have no choice. Is what it is at that point, but IMO, that won't be a championship team.

Great start, he had a 7 game stretch where the shooting was off, but the playmaking has been pretty consistent for most if not all the season.

The next 3 games are against lottery level teams. I expect him to perform well. Same with LBJ and Luka.

 

The more interesting question is the defense. Can you have two wings as the 1 and 2 who defenses are happy to get them isolated on the perimeter?

Dallas got to the Finals with a similar setup with Irving and Luka but then got smacked. Not a lot of history that I can think of beyond that. Steph always had Klay and Iggy. Magic had Scott/Worthy/Cooper

 

They got smacked by an elite Boston team. They very well could have won a championship against last year's Indiana Finals team.

And our team this year is better than the Dallas Luka Kyrie team. We have a LeBron.

 

I'm not ready to say our team is better than that Mavs team. We have more top-end talent because of LeBron, but that Dallas team was slotted correctly. Luka and second star Kyrie. Two rim-running centers that could also protect the rim. DJJ and Washington as 3&D guys.

They also definitely got smacked, they were not close to winning that series. They lost Games 1 and 5 in blowouts. They also won a coin-flip series against a much inferior version of OKC. They wouldn't have won the title last year either because they wouldn't have beaten OKC.

 

I mean, the reason Dallas worked outside of roster construction is it's because it's Kyrie Freaking Irving. Sh**, I'd bet dollars to donuts if Kyrie was in his prime & LBJ was younger, and Irving was available, he'd be the first person to drive Austin to the airport going down Sepulvada. ROFL.

It just is what it is...Austin is a number 3 on a championship team, IMO. There's nothing wrong with that at all. If he's your 3, you're going to win a bunch of games and have a chance at a ring or two.

That's valuing him pretty highly, IMO. I hope his pay is commensurate with that and he gets paid. I like Austin, too. Great guy seems like, too.

 

according to both stats and the eye test, 2023-24 irving is basically 2025-26 reaves. except reaves is several years younger and not rehabbing a torn acl.

this is another way of saying it could work here...because he's Austin freaking Reaves.

 

Funny how AR was nationally regarded as the best 3rd option in the league last year, has clearly become a better player this year, and yet he still remains a number 3. Maybe other 2nd and 3rd options have all improved even more. They must all be MIP candidates this year, leaving AR with no hope of entering the realm of a true number 2.

Or maybe it's too hard to fathom that players actually improve year to year. Given AR's track record, he'll be even better next year. But you guessed it, he was born a number 3 and will remain a number 3 until the day he retires.

At least he's a great guy though.

 

Without Kyrie's resume or 2 Finals appearences? I wouldn't trade for this years version of Kyrie, but I'd do it 10/10 times 3-4 years ago. I'd take Kyrie over Reaves in a heartbeat if he was under 32, but sadly, he's on the backend.

And it won't work here, because he's Austin freaking Reaves.