Lakers News: LA Wing Impressing Teammates With Aptitude For Other Sports
Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Austin Reaves impressed in his first start of the preseason after he set the basketball world ablaze over the past year.
Fresh off a new contract, the recent FIBA World Cup attendee impressed his teammates with his other athletic skills on display this offseason.
Russell witnessed Reaves' skills in the postseason firsthand after a trade deadline deal brought the guard together as LA's eventual playoff backcourt.
The Lakers' season outlooked rather bleak before they dealt Westbrook for a package that included Russell and left plenty of creation opportunities available in his stead.
Reaves took that role with flying colors as both an aggressive handler in the pick and roll and an aggressive driver to the basket.
LA's huge free throw discrepancies compared to their opponent last season can be largely attributed to Reaves' impressive abilities in that regard with an 86% free throw percentage on 4.1 attempts a game.
Now set for a bigger role than ever, Reaves' experiences over the summer will only help that pursuit.
Last year's starting postseason backcourt is back in LA on new contracts as Rob Pelinka made it a mission about continuity from his Western Conference roster last year.
Reaves' position is more secure with a four-year deal as many questions still surround Russell especially considering Gabe Vincent's acquisition as a starting level guard.
Regular season action will tell the story soon enough and the Lakers will open their season against the reigning champion Denver Nuggets for the first game of the 2023-24 NBA season.
Revenge is on the minds of plenty in the organization as the purple and gold will need Reaves' skills on the hardwood rather than the links to get the season started right.
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