los angeles lakers Guard Austin Reaves was recently paid after going undrafted out of the University of Oklahoma.
Reaves and the Lakers agreed to a four-year deal worth $56 million in early July following his second NBA season.
Austin Reaves of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates during Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Golden State Warriors on May 12, 2023 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. (Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)
Reaves was a crucial cog in Los Angeles’ run toward the Western Conference Finalsaveraging 16.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.6 assists during the 2023 NBA Playoffs.
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His playoff experience also included a matchup with steph curry and the Golden State Warriors, a defensive assignment Reaves didn’t particularly enjoy.
«Honestly, it’s hell,» Reaves said on the «All The Smoke» podcast.
«The way he moves off the ball. Honestly, it’s his system too. It suits him perfectly. You can literally never relax. I remember games 1 and 2 chasing him and Klay. [Thompson] around, and I couldn’t get a shot. They all look at me like, ‘Why can’t you take a shot?’ I’m like, ‘I don’t have legs.'»
Austin Reaves (15) of the Los Angeles Lakers jumps in front of Stephen Curry (30) of the Golden State Warriors in the first half of Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on May 6, 2023. (Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images)
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Curry is one of the greatest off-the-ball players of all time, constantly moving off the ball to get an open look.
Against the Lakers in the Second roundCurry averaged 26.6 points on 11+ 3-point attempts per game.
The Lakers had a solid offseason after being swept by the denver nuggets in the Western Conference finals. Along with the signing of Reaves, LA re-signed Rui Hachimura and signed point guard Gabe Vincent in free agency.
Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) runs past Los Angeles Lakers’ Austin Reaves (15) during the fourth quarter of Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals at the Chase Center on May 10, 2023 in San Francisco. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
«Basically bringing back our whole core that made it to the Western Conference finals. And, like you said, hook up guys like Gabe who just made it to the finals. Super competitor,» Reaves said of the Lakers’ offseason.
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«I think we got better and at the same time kept what we had that worked.»
lakers star Lebron James recently announced his return for a 21st NBA season after hinting at possible retirement following the Lakers’ playoff exit.