The Los Angeles Lakers 2022-23 season came to a disappointing end on their home floor on Monday night. The Nuggets beat the Lakers in Game 4 by a final score of 113-111 behind a 30-point triple-double from superstar center Nikola Jokic.
But Lakers guard Austin Reaves deserves little to no blame for his team getting swept. He was one of the most consistent scorers for the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals, as he averaged 21.3 points per game for the series and shot 50% or better from the field in each of the four games.
Following the team's Game 4 loss against Denver, Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka hinted that the Lakers plan to re-sign Reaves once he hits restricted free agency this summer, per a tweet from ClutchPoints' Michael Corvo:
“I would say this resoundingly clear: Our intentions are to keep our core young guys together. … He defines what's at the heart of playing for the Lakers … We'll hang our hat on guys like that.”
Pelinka said he can't address Austin Reaves' FA due to CBA rules, but he said: "I would say this resoundingly clear: Our intentions are to keep our core young guys together. … He defines what's at the heart of playing for the Lakers … We'll hang our hat on guys like that."
— Michael Corvo (@michaelcorvoNBA) May 23, 2023
Austin Reaves, 24, has played two years in the NBA, both as a member of the storied Lakers franchise. He averaged 13.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 0.5 steals, 0.3 blocks, 1.5 turnovers, and 1.7 personal fouls per game across 64 appearances this season (22 starts).
The former Oklahoma star shot the ball with great accuracy from behind the three-point arc in the 2022-23 campaign — Reaves' 39.8% three-point percentage was the highest of his pro career by a wide margin.
Reaves was a key piece of a Lakers team that went all the way to the Western Conference Finals. So here's to hoping that he remains a Laker past this summer.
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