The Los Angeles Lakers could be having another star in the making, gradually coming out of the shadows of LeBron James and Luka Doncic. Austin Reaves’ recent performances certainly suggest so.
Advertisement
Reaves averages 35 points in his first four games. He scored 41 and 51 in his last couple of games. But can the 27-year-old guard be consistent enough to make the Lakers a serious threat in the West and find himself on the All-Star team this season?
Lakers legend Richard Jefferson certainly thinks so. But then he also has some reservations.
Road Trippin podcast host Allie Clifton noted that Reaves’ average without Doncic and LeBron on the team is 42. So, while the All-Star conversation might seem a little premature, Reaves’ numbers strongly sway the argument.
However, his average is bound to drop once Doncic and LeBron come back. And that is precisely what former Lakers star Jefferson pointed out.
“I think Austin Reaves is going to make so much money. I am so proud. So awesome. He averaged 20 points a game last year. So I am not saying that,” Jefferson said, before touching on the point that LeBron and Doncic are going to come back at some point.
“So, as the third guy with Vince and Jay Kidd, you better be in the Top 3 in wins. If you are 6th and then Luka and Bron get voted in, which they will, you’re not going to get that 3rd All-Star,” he explained.
Jefferson stressed that without the Lakers being close to the NBA finals, it’s just not likely to happen for Reaves, since the other two All-Stars from his team are NBA icons, and one of them is a legend.
“So, they [LeBron and Doncic] are going to get voted in. Like, we know that. LeBron, he might not play a game before the All-Star break. He’s (still) going to be the no. 1 vote getter. That’s just what it is,” asserted Jefferson.
“Austin, his numbers can be that of an All-Star, they can be better than all other All-Stars, but if all those other All-Stars are the best player on a team that’s 3rd or they are the 2nd best player on the team that’s 1, his numbers might look better than J Dubs and OKC’s. But because the OKC is no. 1, he gets the All-Star,” explained the 2016 NBA champion.
Jefferson believes Reaves has the quality to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the best this season. Former NBA champion Kendrick Perkins strongly believes in the Arkansas native’s potential, too.
But unless Reaves, as well as the Lakers, have a really successful season, his selection as an All-Star is unlikely. 12 All-Stars are selected from each conference, which has a total of 15 teams each. So, you can see how the league can be a bit hesitant to hand out three of those spots to one team.
