LeBron James and Steve Nash Break Down How Important Austin Reaves is to Lakers

The two great basketball minds broke down why Austin Reaves is so important to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Mar 31, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) is defended by Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks (9) during the fourth quarter at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers have one of the most dangerous offensive lineups in the entire NBA. They have three great scorers who can go off at any time.

A lot of the attention is focused on LeBron James and Luka Doncic, which makes sense. James is one of the greatest players of all time. Doncic is a top-three player in the league right now.

Not as much attention is given to Austin Reaves. Reaves has established himself as perhaps the best third-scorer in the entire league. He can score from anywhere on the court.

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James understands just how good Reaves is. He also understands that he gives the Lakers an entirely different look than what they have had in the past.

On his podcast Mind the Game, James broke down Reaves' impact with the Lakers with Steve Nash.

Small-town kid, big-time mindset. 🔥@KingJames and @SteveNash are loving what Austin Reaves brings to the game. Watch the full convo: https://t.co/NWpV7r3g4I pic.twitter.com/CsjZYCjorn

— Mind the Game (@mindthegamepod) April 2, 2025

"Myself and Luka will have the two best defenders, you know, every night. There's not many teams with a third defender. And that third defender has to guard Austin Reaves. So we have the ability to interchange."

James understands that Reaves' offensive versatility makes him a valuable part of this Lakers team. When he is able to make shots, the Lakers are one of the hardest teams in the league to stop.

The only issue is that the team doesn't have as many good defenders since trading Anthony Davis for Doncic. That leaves the rim very vulnerable for this team.

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Nash knows how important it is to have a third option on offense. He coaches perhaps one of the greatest trios of all time when was with the Nets when they had Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden.

The Lakers are hoping that Reaves can help them make a deep run into the playoffs. Staying healthy is going to be key for them.

So far this season, Reaves is putting up career-best numbers. He is averaging 19.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game. He is shooting 45.5 percent from the field and 36 percent from three.

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