Austin Reaves going undrafted in 2021 NBA draft is something people will always talk about. Not because he declined to go to Detroit Pistons, but for his two-way contract selection with the Lakers. Since then a lot of water has flowed down the bridge and Reaves has cemented himself as an integral part of the Lakers setup.
Despite that, only success talks and the Lakers had not much to talk about in that regard apart from the In-season tournament win this season. So what can bring success to the Los Angeles team? Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal knows the exact remedy and it involves Austin Reaves.
Shaquille O’Neal tells Lakers to trade Austin Reaves
The opinionated Shaquille O’Neal recently dropped a bold suggestion for his former team, the LA Lakers to get rid of Austin Reaves if they want to march toward success.
Austin Reaves was one of the players that the franchise re-signed last season, who raised the hopes of many but failed to impress the Lakers’ legend. The Big Diesel knows how important and difficult it is for LeBron James to acquire another championship title to his name so he thought of helping him out.
Giving his valuable suggestion to the Lakers, Shaq said, “Gotta get rid of Reaves. Give me another guy that can do that, but a guy that’s a little more consistent.” The 52-year-old added, “I’mma use Reaves because [he] is talented. I’mma get me one more veteran, and I got to get three or four shooters.”
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Rumors circled about his trade elsewhere in the latest trade window but his “untouchable” status kept him in the West coast. To make sense of Shaq’s statement about Reaves’ performance this season must come under the microscope.
Austin Reaves’ season performance so far
Austin Reaves so far this season has not disappointed by any stretch of the imagination despite the Lakers’ mid-table performance. In the latest Lakers win against the Grizzlies, Reaves’ 13 points along with 11 assists proves his worth in the LeBron James supporting cast.
The guard’s 29 points against the Bucks, 25 against the Pacers, and 28 against the Sacramento Kings give a positive overview of his performance in March. His 18.5 points per game (PPG) this month shows a trend of gradual increase in output as the season progressed. His season-high 32 points against the Boston Celtics in early February also demonstrates how he can step up when needed.
The 25-year-old has impressed whenever called upon but in a championship-aspiring team, his 16.1 PPG is not something to boast about. Adding 5.6 assists and 4.3 rebounds to that, the guard has certainly showcased his versatility all over the court while scoring at the rate of 48.9% from the field, 37.3% from downtown, and 86.3% from the free throw line.
With the post-season approaching fast, Austin Reaves has to keep his form going and rack up the numbers, or given his relationship with Darvin Ham, the Lakers might seriously consider what their former champion said.
