From undrafted to All-Star? Reeves s strong rise completely changed the Lakers team building and championship plans

Translator's Note: The original article was published on CBS Sports. The data in the article are as of the time of publication of the original article (October 30, local time), and the dates and times involved are all local times.

Strictly speaking, Austin Reeves was not even an official lineup player when he joined the Lakers. As an undrafted player, his original contract was a two-way contract. With his outstanding performance in the summer, he received a standard contract and a roster spot before the start of the 2021-22 rookie season, which set the tone for the start of his career.

Every year, Reeves is asked to prove himself. Can this undrafted player play on a championship team? After the Lakers trade Russell Westbrook, can he become the team's third scorer and second playmaker? Can he become a regular starter? Can he become a core player on a championship-contending team?

Reeves met every challenge. His trajectory is clear. In each subsequent season, Reeves' scoring average increased by 5.7 points, 2.9 points and 4.3 points respectively. His assist numbers also trended up over the first three seasons before leveling off last season when he was suddenly required to share the floor with two Hall of Fame caliber players. One of them, Hall of Famer LeBron James, has yet to play this season. Frankly, Reeves has performed so well in his fifth season that now it might be James' turn to adjust to him.

In the past five games, Reeves averaged 34.2 points and 10 assists per game. On Wednesday, he hit a buzzer-beating floater to beat the very team that limited him in the first round of last season's playoffs, the Timberwolves. Although he scored 28 points in this victory, Reeves has been so hot recently that his scoring average dropped after the game.

At this point, Reeves' successful five-year partnership with James is a secondary issue. Really, the key here is another Hall of Famer, because everything the Lakers have done since acquiring Luka Doncic seems to be to find a second-choice player like Reeves.

The Lakers are preparing salary space for maximum-salary free agents. They retained the pick because they knew they would have three first-round picks available for trade next offseason. The main reason for giving up on the Mark Williams trade was indeed a medical issue, but it's also hard not to see it as an asset allocation issue. Why take that risk on an injured role player when the same leverage can be used to trade for a far better player in the future? With Reeves set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2026, he could even be packaged in a deal to acquire a superstar through a sign-and-trade. It's his responsibility to prove he's good enough not to be put on the shelf like that.

If averaging 34 points and 10 assists per game so far isn't enough proof, there's nothing that is. Personal data doesn’t fully capture Reeves’ worth. Look at how well Doncic played in the first two games with only Reeves and without James: he averaged 46 points, 11.5 rebounds and 8.5 assists per game, and his shooting percentage was as high as 62%. Not only has Reeves continued to improve in terms of personal abilities, but the way he has improved has also benefited Doncic a lot. Reaves is a good enough on-ball creator to take the pressure off Doncic. And he won't take up too much of the ball and won't hinder Doncic. His ability to draw fouls can pause the game and give Doncic an extra chance to breathe. His shooting opens up the floor for Doncic. So far, the performance of this combination has fully met the Lakers' expectations.

And if this is the case, then this will greatly change the Lakers' strategy in terms of short-term and long-term team building. For example, if there is less urgency to stock up on assets in exchange for another superstar in the future, those assets can now be used to bring in much-needed defensive role players. Doing so would allow the Lakers to take advantage of another legend they already have in James, who doesn't look like he'll be around much longer. If the Lakers believe that Reeves is the second star they need and can work with him long-term, then trading draft picks for immediate strength will not affect Reeves' development timeline so much.

For a team with championship potential, the most difficult thing is to get a true superstar. The Lakers did this magically in February. They've since acted as if the next step was a natural one: finding a deputy for Doncic. But judging from his performance early this season, the deputy is already in the lineup. Finding those two players is the hardest part, because as Doncic showed with the Mavericks, just give him another All-Star caliber offensive teammate and he can lead the team to the NBA Finals.

The Lakers seem to have done it. Of course, they may still try to add another star. After all, this is the Lakers we're talking about. If they think they have a glimmer of hope in a 2027 free agent like Giannis Antetokounmpo or Nikola Jokic, they're not going to give up on that hope. But there is no longer that desperation that clings to the possibility of wasting a year or more waiting for an opportunity to trade for the player they think they need. Austin Reeves is an All-Star right now. He and Doncic can be the foundation of a championship-caliber offense. And in this case, all that's left is to build a defense worthy of their talent. The Mavericks did this with far fewer draft chips than the Lakers in a market that was far less attractive than the Lakers. While the Lakers still have a long way to go, the path to building their championship roster has never been clearer.

Author: Sam Quinn

Translator: GWayNe