Taking part in for the Los Angeles Lakers isn’t any straightforward activity by any means, however one ‘overrated’ participant has seemingly made himself untouchable on the staff.
Following a 3rd seed end in the course of the 2024-25 NBA season, the Los Angeles Lakers have solely improved with main offseason additions.
With the dynamic duo of LeBron James and Luka Doncic already on the roster, the Lakers have an actual shot to win all of it subsequent season.
Whereas the Lakers have had a constructive offseason, Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley believes that the staff is residence to one of the crucial overrated gamers within the NBA.
Regardless of being undrafted in the course of the 2021 NBA Draft, Austin Reaves has managed to turn into a key participant for the Lakers.
A lot in order that many view him as one of the best third possibility within the league. Now, that’s an enormous assertion. Evidently, the Lakers supplied him a contract extension this summer time.
Nevertheless, Reaves rejected the $90m supply in hopes of signing a much bigger deal subsequent season. However does the 27-year-old deserve that form of cash? Effectively, in keeping with Buckley, AR15 belongs in probably the most overrated gamers within the league as an alternative.
“Life below the Hollywood highlight has each its perks and its issues. Performing within a fishbowl magnifies each strengths and shortcomings, resulting in usually complicated views of a participant’s true valuation.
“In different phrases, it actually isn’t Reaves’ fault he’s on this checklist, however he’s additionally benefiting from being maybe probably the most talked-about third possibility in basketball,” Buckley wrote.
“What number of—if any—headlines could be devoted to him if he was placing up the identical 20.2 factors and 5.8 assists on, say, the New Orleans Pelicans as an alternative of the Lakers?” he added.
Buckley then dissected how Reaves is ‘not spectacular’ resulting from barely crossing the typical participant effectivity score final season.
“These are good numbers, certain, however they’re not spectacular. For that matter, neither are his profession marks in participant effectivity score (15.5, league common is 15) or BPM (plus-0.5).
“He’s a talented scorer and a succesful secondary playmaker, however he’s not elite in both class. He’s additionally a restricted on-ball defender who doesn’t make performs on that finish of the ground,” Buckley defined.
Regardless of Buckley’s factors, Reaves has proven steady development since making his NBA debut in 2021. So what does this imply for his subsequent contract?
Ought to Reaves earn round $30m yearly? Buckley definitely doesn’t appear to suppose so.
“Add all of it up, and also you’re taking a look at an offense-leaning (offense-only?) stable starter or maybe high-end sixth man.
“But, you’ll hear discuss of him being a star, being untouchable, and doubtlessly quickly being paid north of $30 million yearly,” the NBA author continued.
In the end, Buckley dropped a reasonably harsh verdict on Reaves by labelling him a ‘high-end function participant.’
“He could be a high-end function participant, however that’s most likely the place he tops out. As a result of whereas he could appear younger when it comes to NBA service (4 seasons below his belt), his twenty seventh birthday is already behind him.
“It’s potential we’ve already seen his greatest, and his greatest isn’t practically nearly as good as you’ve most likely heard from the loudest, most optimistic portion of his fanbase,” Buckley concluded.
