Austin Reaves Discussion: How Much Is He Worth?

Exactly. The point being made by the Player A vs B comparisons is not to say that Austin is better than Booker or even as good yet. It's to make the point that he can be in that realm, and in fact, he actually has been when given that role. He has been in the territory of #1 options making $50m+ and slated to make $70m+. And yet, some people are questioning whether Austin will be worth $30-40, or could ever be a 2nd option or top 25 player. It remains to be seen, and nothing is guaranteed, but it sure looks that way right now.

 

And shame on @VladeD714 for getting so huffy about it and going to the HE’s going to ignore AR’s thread now like he did AD’s card too.

 

I’ll never understand one who bails out of a perfectly civil discussion.
It’s okay to lose an argument, as long as it’s carried out in a respectful manner.
I have learned a lot from other people’s point of view over my lifetime and even flipped over to their side on several occasions.
There’s really no need to get “butt hurt,” especially over an entertainment form.

 

In my opinion, Austin Reaves isn't a legitimate No. 2 option on a championship-caliber team. Could Devin Booker be? Possibly—under the right circumstances. Is Austin in the same tier as Booker? I don't think so. We've seen Booker perform at the highest level, making it to the NBA Finals and serving as a clear No. 1 or 2 option on that Suns team, if I remember correctly. Yes, Anthony Davis went down in that series, and things might’ve played out differently if he’d stayed healthy, but the reality is Booker was instrumental in eliminating the Lakers in the first round.

I just don’t see Austin being able to do that—as a top-two option—on a title contender. At best, he’s probably a strong No. 3. That said, considering his contract, he might be the best value player in the league. By next season, he could be worth $30–40 million annually on the open market, and honestly, he probably deserves that based on production and efficiency.

He's definitely a good player, and I think he's close to hitting his ceiling given his age and development path. I’m just not into overhyping players, and in my view, you’re overvaluing him. That’s just how I see it. The Lakers might view him as a budding star, but I’ll give Rob Pelinka credit—if the opportunity for a clear upgrade arises, especially someone making more money, he’d pull the trigger without hesitation. And frankly, I don't think Austin stacks up well against most of the No. 2 options we’ve seen on recent championship teams.

 

Hater

 

Austin is going to have to step his game up, in the playoffs period. If he doesn't, he won't be here much longer. He's one of my favorites on this team, I was hyping him as a rookie, but Luka is here now, and what works best next to him, might not include Austin. It is what it is, the ball is in Austin's court, we shall see how it all plays out. I'm rooting for him.

 

Good reply, and it's understandable if we each have our own opinions. However, we need to recognize that they are just opinions, and not necessarily based on the facts so far. So when people say things like he can't (or probably won't) be able to be a #2 option or top 25 player, or has hit his ceiling, or close to it, I ask - what is that based on?

It's fine as an opinion, but doesn't seem to fit the facts so far. The facts so far show improvement each year, with improvement this past year as a #2 option in the regular season, including production that rivals many #2 options and even some #1 options. Which indicates future improvement if given that #2 role in the future. The facts against might be lesser production in the playoffs, but that comes in a reduced 3rd option role, where the #1 & 2 take on increased role, and where the team didn't matchup well as a whole, and the whole team's performance suffered. There are no relevant facts about Austin as a #2 in the playoffs.

All this being said, we clearly see things differently, and that's fine, time will tell. I'm betting on Austin.

 

Whose's butthurt?

Take @abeer3, for example. Whether you agree with him or not, he presents clear, well-thought-out arguments and clearly knows the players, down to the finer details. He’s probably one of the best posters on this forum, to be honest.

Then there are others who just go with the flow—tagging along, agreeing for the sake of it, staying negative, whining, etc. I don’t mind any of that if you're backing up your points with real substance. Most people don’t—they just echo the general sentiment, which is fine, but let’s not pretend that’s valuable analysis.

As for Reaves, he’ll likely be re-signed at a reasonable number that the team can live with, and most of us will be content with that. But let’s be real—given the ownership transition and Rob Pelinka’s current position, it’s pretty clear they don’t see Reaves as a No. 2 option on a championship team. That’s probably why they’re keeping cap space flexible. Best-case scenario? He becomes an ideal No. 3, which would be a great outcome for the Lakers.

I was a bit snarky.

 

I'm rooting for him too, but Austin is a guard, if he shoots 30% or less from deep, in the post-season, for three seasons in a row? That's going to cost him a lot of money.

Hopefully he's in the gymn right now, working on that. You can work around the defense, not the shooting.

 

Lol ESPN net points absolutely hate both Booker and AR defense but ranks Booker way worse

Booker was the 6th worse guard on defense per that metric

 

Uh Oh … should we go the Black Olives route on @VladeD714 for his pissy attitude while being wrong?




I keed I keed!!

Back to the suds!

 

This supports my LeBron for 6th man approach.

 

Agreed, as much as I like AR, I can do without the post season shooting slumps. The great ones elevate not defecate.

 

This

When the bright lights are on it's time to shine, not disappear

 

Career year for Austin coming up. Smart is going to teach him how to use his elbows and knees when defending. Targeting will diminish just a bit.

 

I really like the mentoring these guys can do and help elevate the other teammates