Lakers News: Pundit Wonders If Austin Reaves' Breakout Was Contract-Year Fluke
Lakers guard Austin Reaves played a major role in helping the team reach the Western Conference Finals a year ago, and he was rewarded with a brand new four-year contract.
He has vaulted himself into the third-best player on the Lakers team and will be relied upon even more so this season. But, the question is how Reaves handles this newly formed pressure that is on himself. He seems good at handling it, but some believe his rise could have been a fluke due to the contract year.
NBA writer Adam Fromal of Bleacher Report listed Reaves as one of the players on the Lakers with something to prove. It’s not his game, but the contract that he needs to prove was justified.
“Austin Reaves was an undrafted unknown before shining toward the tail end of the 2021-22 season. Now, following a marvelous breakout campaign that carried over into a postseason that saw him slash 46.4/44.3/89.5 while averaging 16.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.6 assists, he has to do away with claims of flukiness and justify his new four-year, $56 million early Bird maximum contract.”
While Reaves was an unknown commodity, he worked hard to get to where he is now. Many within the Lakers organization have talked about his work ethic, and how it has helped him get ahead. Plus, leaning from guys like LeBron James, Anthony Davis and even Russell Westbrook likely helped him.
Reaves showed last season that when the lights were brightest, he shined even more. He wasn’t afraid of the big moments and wanted the ball in his hands during them. That is what makes him special, and why he is so valuable to this Lakers team.
He seems to be getting better as he has gotten more experience in the NBA, and that should continue this season. Reaves also completed playing time with Team USA this summer, and he learned even more from playing alongside some of the better young players in the game today.
His continued growth is important to the success of the Lakers, and if he can take that next step, LA will be very formidable. He helps give them a legitimate chance to be successful this season and go for title number 18.
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