Translator's note: The original text was published in SSR, and the data in the article were as of the time of the original text (September 26 local time). The dates and times involved were local time
Last season, for the Lakers, even before Luca Doncic arrived, the team's theme was "change".
They started the new season under freshman head coach JJ Redick, and then traded their former starting point guard two months after the season started. Luca's subsequent addition completely changed the team's appearance for the rest of the season.
In all these stages, no player has a bigger role change than Austin Reeves. Reeves, who was a shooting guard at the beginning of the season, took over the role of point guard after D'Angelo Russell was traded before turning into a brand new role next to Luca.
However, now that the lineup is becoming stable and the role positioning will be clearer, what will happen to Reeves' future? After experiencing on-the-season adaptation and groping in the second half of last season, and having a complete offseason and preseason to prepare, what will his role in the new season look like?
What would his best situation be like?
Although Reeves' role changed a lot last season, he has always been successful. Although there have been times of struggle, especially when he became the actual starting point guard in December and January, he has gained a foothold, and those experiences will certainly be of great benefit to his future career.
It is that experience, coupled with his experience throughout his career, that may bring Reeves to a big explosion in the Lakers. He will enter the new season with a clear character and unless he suffers a major injury, the character will run throughout the season. He will play alongside two all-time players and will have a chance to go against a teamโs second or third perimeter defender almost every night.
And he will welcome it all in contract year, which is almost the strongest motivation for players in the sports world.
Reeves will jump in his three-point shooting percentage after taking advantage of a summer to adapt to a more clear role in the new season. Last season, his shooting touch was sometimes good and sometimes bad, and finally finished with a slightly higher-than-career average. In the new season, those ups and downs will be smoothed out, and his shooting percentage will also be much higher, which will increase from 37.7% last year to more than 40%.
Another major aspect he needs to improve is the defensive end. Early in his career, Reeves was a reliable defender. However, as his responsibility increases on the offensive end, his influence on the defensive end also declines accordingly.
In the new season, as Luca and LeBron will assume most of the ball-holding responsibilities, Reeves can devote more energy to the defensive end and make progress. In this way, even if he does not need to perform at an elite level on the offensive end, he can be present more at the same time as Luka.
Ultimately, as the role becomes more clear, it will be Reeves' most efficient season to date. His ability to successfully partner with Luca will eliminate all questions about their future collaboration, and Reeves deserves a big contract next summer.
What would be his worst situation?
Despite all these changes last season, Reeves has not only been able to contribute positively to the team, but also played the best year of his career. Therefore, it is precisely based on this idea that I will explore what his worst situation might be.
Reeves' lower limit is high even at the worst, and he has enough game adjustment to be an influential player even on a bad night. His style of play is not single, so when he doesn't shoot right, he usually still plays by organizing an offense or grabbing rebounds.
However, entering the new season, the biggest problem surrounding Reeves is not any statistics, but his compatibility with Luca. In the worst case, this pair may not work.
On the offensive end, Reeves will not be able to find a steady pace, and although he may contribute in many aspects, he has poor shooting touch in many games. On the defensive end, teams are increasingly targeting him, but he can't curb their offensive.
Because of this, the team has difficulty finding a way to get Reeves and Luca to their best performance while on the court at the same time, which has raised a lot of questions about whether he should renew his contract in the offseason next year.
What is his most likely role in the team?
Reeves' career has improved every season. Although this trend will stop one day, the question is, will it be this year?
Realistically speaking, I think his stats may not be the best in his career, but it may still be the best year in his career. Every season, he will solve the problems exposed in the previous seasons and show more rich content in the game.
It is precisely with this in mind that I look forward to another great season in Reeves. I expect him to have a season where he will be strong outside the 3-point line, which will really cement his influence on the offensive end. If he can hit the ball, not only will his own performance be strong, but the Lakers team will also cause a lot of trouble for their opponents.
After all, Reeves has a historical performance of continuous improvement as a player and is entering a contract year, hoping to win the largest contract of his career. I totally believe he will establish himself as a star this year.
Author: Jacob Rude
Translator: GWayNe