Lakers' Pelinka Explains How Austin Reaves Factored Into Luka, Anthony Davis Trade
Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka wasn't concerned that Austin Reaves would struggle to figure out how to fit in with their roster when he was negotiating the blockbuster trade that sent Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks in a package for Luka Dončić.
Speaking to ESPN's Dave McMenamin, Pelinka explained that he kept thinking about Reaves throughout his discussions with the Mavs knowing the impact adding Dončić to their backcourt would have:
"In the monthlong process of the Luka Dončić trade discussions, of course, you're thinking about the players you may possibly have to trade in a deal like that, AD and Max Christie. [But] one of the people I was thinking of the most in my head was just AR, because I knew how close he had gotten to Max and AD and I knew bringing in another primary ball handler would have implications for him."
Pelinka went on to say that Reaves is "coming into his own" as a "basketball savant," in the way that Dončić and LeBron James have already proven themselves to be throughout their stellar careers.
"My theory is basketball geniuses that love to win, find ways to work and click together," Pelinka said. "And we knew LeBron was a basketball savant, wants to win at the highest level. Obviously Luka Dončić, basketball savant, wants to win at the highest level. And AR is coming into his own there. He gets the game, he sees it. He can fit, really, with anybody."
Any potential worries about there being enough touches available to allow Reaves to continue his development into his fourth season have quickly been alleviated.
Since Dončić's first game with the Lakers on Feb. 10, Reaves has actually gotten better and his shooting the ball more than he did before. The 26-year-old is averaging 22.2 points on 47.4 percent shooting (39.2 percent from three) with 14.8 field-goal attempts per game in 25 starts.
Reaves' stats before Dončić's Lakers debut were 19.1 points on 44.8 percent shooting (36.4 percent from three) on 14 field-goal attempts per game in 45 starts.
Some of Reaves' increased scoring output can be attributed to James' seven-game absence from March 10-20 due to a groin injury. But even since James returned to the lineup on March 22, Reaves has scored at least 24 points six times in nine games.
The growth of Reaves' game is huge for a Lakers team that is on pace to earn the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. Dončić and James will always get there stats in the playoffs because they are that good.
If Reaves turns into a reliable third scoring option who can make big shots in critical moments against other top teams in the West, the Lakers go from being a solid playoff contender into a real threat to make the NBA Finals.
No matter what happens in the playoffs, Reaves' performance this season marks an incredible return on investment for the Lakers. An undrafted free agent in 2021, he is in the second season of his four-year, $53.8 million contract.
Reaves is eligible to sign a four-year extension worth up to $90 million this summer, but he could also wait until the summer of 2026 when he can opt out of his current deal and potentially sign a four-year deal with an annual salary that's 25 percent of the cap.
