Austin Reaves Says Lakers Have ‘Most Talented Roster’ in NBA
The Lakers are in a very different place than they were just eight short months ago.
Los Angeles remade its roster at the trade deadline and embarked on a surprise run deep into the postseason, falling to the Nuggets in the Western Conference finals. Then, the team had a productive offseason, signing forward Christian Wood and luring guard Gabe Vincent away from the Heat.
To Lakers guard Austin Reaves, these moves have given Los Angeles lofty status ahead of the 2024 season.
"We brought in a lot of guys that are super talented. I would argue that we probably have the most talented in the league from top to bottom," Reaves told ESPN writer Zach Lowe on Tuesday's episode of The Lowe Post.
Reaves cited the Lakers' offseason moves and alluded to the camaraderie the team built throughout their 2023 run.
Nevertheless, the Wichita State and Oklahoma product's bold claim drew a mixture of praise and criticism from sectors of the NBA world.
Some agreed with Reaves, pointing to Los Angeles's considerable depth.
Others were less enthused.
The dual sentiment that Reaves may have been stretching the truth about a good Lakers team found an audience as well.
Even fans of other teams were forced to concede that Los Angeles was in good shape.
The defending world champions — set to host the Lakers on Oct. 24 in the first regular-season game of the season — may have different ideas.
