Lakers' Austin Reaves must fix $53M playoff problem to solidify trio with LeBron James, Luka Doncic
Austin Reaves is struggling but he could very well go in a playoff mode with this simple fix.
Lakers' Austin Reaves must fix $53M playoff problem to solidify trio with LeBron James, Luka Doncic originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . The Los Angeles Lakers are headed to the playoffs after catching fire with a nine-game winning streak before falling to the Detroit Pistons earlier in the week.
At the same time, the Lakers are preparing for a significant offseason, one in which they are expected to pay Austin Reaves handsomely. “The Los Angeles Lakers plan to offer Austin Reaves a five-year, $240 million contract this offseason once unrestricted free agency begins, sources told Lakers Daily,” Ashish Mathur of Lakers Daily wrote. “The Lakers have ‘no fear’ of losing the talented undrafted guard, who wants to spend his entire career with the Purple and Gold.
” Reaves is preparing for another playoff run, one in which he may need to take on a role similar to Jamal Murray. “In other words — when Reaves and LeBron are on the court without Luka, can AR15 be the lead scoring option? Perhaps more importantly, when all three are on the court, are Luka and LeBron willing to step aside and let Reaves cook?
That could be what stands between Reaves and a playoff takeover. In Denver, the hierarchy in the playoffs was never a problem; Michael Porter Jr. was a great third option, but was also willing to concede shots to Murray when he caught fire,” Lake Show Life’s Quinn Everts wrote.