The Los Angeles Lakers have tasked two of the best playmakers in the NBA with leading a star-studded perimeter. It's one of the hottest topics in the Association, as all eyes are on All-NBA mainstays Luka Doncic and LeBron James.
Following the Lakers' 110-102 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Feb. 20, however, a new question has been posed: What about Austin Reaves?
James took center stage during the clash with the Trail Blazers, dropping 40 points and eight rebounds in 36 minutes. Reaves was effectively going shot-for-shot with him, dropping 32 points and adding seven assists in a game-high 40 minutes.
If that sounds like Reaves hit the far end of an extreme for his capabilities, know that this has become par for the course in recent weeks.
The Lakers completed the trade for Doncic on Feb. 1., thus removing Anthony Davis from the rotation and clearing touches for Reaves. In the four games that Doncic has missed since the trade went through, Reaves is averaging 30.0 points and 6.8 assists per game—leading Los Angeles to a 4-0 record.
A four-game sample size only counts for so much, but it reveals the biggest task on JJ Redick's agenda: Striking a balance between not two, but three star-caliber offensive playmakers.
Lakers must not forget about Austin Reaves when building new offense
The Lakers have constructed a perimeter trio that has the potential to generate a starting lineup's level of offense every time out. Doncic, James, and Reaves are currently combining to average 70.3 points and 22.5 assists per game.
Those numbers would rank No. 27 in points per game and No. 2 in assists per contest among starting lineups—absurd production from just three players.
Obviously, those numbers were primarily accumulated before Doncic made the move to Los Angeles. Davis was admittedly a high-volume scorer who led the Lakers in field goal attempts, but Doncic has more of a ball-dominant style along the perimeter.
As such, the numbers could fluctuate as Redick's new three-headed monster attempts to determine how to properly play off of one another.
For as true as that may be, the talent that the Lakers possess along the perimeter is unavoidable. Few teams are equipped with three different players who can work both on and off the ball, let alone two All-NBA stars and another who has flirted with All-Star status.
If the Lakers manage to design the perfect system, then they'd have three players capable of creating entry points for themselves and others from anywhere on the court.
Unfortunately, there's only one ball to go around and the bigger priority in the short term appears to be the dynamic between Doncic and James. It's an understandable approach, as James is more accomplished and productive than Reaves at this stage.
If the Lakers are going to maximize their full potential, however, they'll need to ensure that Reaves remains a focal point rather than a forgotten talent playing in Doncic and James' shadows.
