The Los Angeles Lakers are going through some growing pains this season, which is typical for most teams at some point. However, they remain in a solid position in the jam-packed Western Conference, and LeBron James is getting his wish of being on a contending team.
“LeBron wants to compete for a championship,” James' agent Rich Paul told ESPN. “He knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all. We are very appreciative of the partnership that we've had for eight years with Jeanie [Buss] and Rob [Pelinka] and consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career.”
Before James returned, Austin Reaves was lighting it up, including in the first five games of the season.
“34.2 PPG. 10.0 APG. 1.8 SPG. 52.5 FG%. 38.5 3P%. 89.7 FT%. That's what the Lakers' Austin Reaves is averaging in 5 games this season. No one else in NBA history has put up those numbers or better over any 5-game span in a single season,” Opta Stats posted.
Now, with James back, Reaves is struggling to adapt to his new role.
“Before Wednesday’s game, LeBron and Reaves had a negative-1.1 net rating when sharing the floor. Both players want to get going with Luka on the bench, but they are struggling to find the balance. Reaves has struggled in the last three with James playing better,” LakeShow Life’s Tyler Watts wrote. “The Los Angeles Lakers can’t compete with the best teams without an elite Austin Reaves. He is struggling when playing next to LeBron James, and the two stars must solve the problem ASAP. They have defensive issues and are not getting Reaves going offensively. Fans should be watching this issue closely. Hopefully, it gets resolved quickly, but the fix may not be that simple.”
Reaves and Doncic are the future in LA, so some adjustment on the offensive side of the ball is necessary. Reaves has traditionally been the third option, but with James taking a backseat, he is now the second.
That is a significant change, but he still has to share the ball with two other primary ball handlers. There is plenty of season left, but if this isn’t corrected soon, the problem could linger for quite some time.