No team has been in the NBA news more than the Los Angeles Lakers this season. That’s often the case for the league’s most famous team, but it’s been especially true this year, as the team hired JJ Redick to be its new head coach, drafted LeBron James’ son in the second round, then pulled off the most shocking trade of all-time by turning Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a first-round pick into Luka Doncic.
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There’s been so much to talk about on the Lakers that one man is often overlooked—Austin Reaves. The fourth-year shooting guard has taken his game to another level to become a legit member of the Big 3 with Luka and LeBron. Reaves’ current contract (four years, $53.8 million) also makes him one of the best values in the league.
On the latest episode of KG Certified, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett gave props to Reaves for the awesome but underappreciated season he’s having. They had no shortage of comparisons for the man who is averaging 20.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists on the year, all career highs.
Pierce said Reaves is “the new Klay Thompson, with more playmaking” and “swag through the roof.” Garnett agreed, and he put it in a way that only KG could do: “Austin Reaves out here playing with black man energy.” Somehow that makes no sense and total sense all at the same time.
Reaves isn’t quite the shooter that Klay has been throughout his illustrious career, but the comparison makes sense in that both are winning players with a certain aura about them who have been overshadowed by their more famous teammates.
Austin Reaves could be the X-factor in a Lakers playoff run
Pierce and KG went through a list of other celebrities and athletes that Reaves reminded them of, a group which could accurately be labeled as “swaggy white guys.” Justin Bieber’s name was thrown out, but KG and Pierce initially disagreed on which NFL star was the right fit. KG went with former Rams receiver Cooper Kupp (now newly signed with the Seahawks), while Pierce likened him to Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
Finally they settled on Baker Mayfield, which honestly couldn’t be more perfect. Get those two in a Progressive Insurance commercial ASAP.
The Lakers nearly have the 3-seed in the West locked up. Their first-round opponent is still very much in the air, but finishing third would allow them to avoid the top-seeded Thunder until the Western Conference Finals. Luka and LeBron as a dynamic duo is as good as any other pair in the league, but it’s Reaves who could truly give the Lakers a chance to go on a deep run.
Reaves is the kind of player who helps the Lakers’ offense flow when he’s on the court with his more famous teammates, but he’s fully capable of taking over when JJ Redick needs more out of him, as evidenced by the fact that he’s scored 30 or more points six times in the past month.
Reaves is criminally overlooked, but a strong postseason could change all that and really put him on the map as an All-Star-caliber player. Imagine the swag then.
