{"id":89337,"date":"2025-08-14T08:54:58","date_gmt":"2025-08-14T08:54:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=89337"},"modified":"2025-08-14T08:54:58","modified_gmt":"2025-08-14T08:54:58","slug":"breaking-news-past-3-nba-champions-proved-lakers-cant-re-sign-austin-reaves-if-this-issue-persists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=89337","title":{"rendered":"Breaking News: Past 3 NBA champions proved Lakers can&#8217;t re-sign Austin Reaves if this issue persists"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"relative z-10\">\n<h1 class=\"my-2.5 text-black font-group-gigantic\">Past 3 NBA champions proved Lakers can&#8217;t re-sign Austin Reaves if this issue persists<\/h1>\n<div class=\"article-intro mb-4 text-darkGrey font-group-large md:font-group-normal lg:font-group-large\">If Austin Reaves can&#8217;t step up on defense, then history will prevent the Lakers from bringing him back.<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"mb-0 md:mb-9 relative md:mx-10 md:mb-9\">\n<figure>\n<div class=\"overflow-hidden bg-lightGrey\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_3330,h_1873\/c_fill,w_360,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F20%2F01k2j7d3b4yq10t7xbxm.jpg 1x,  \nhttps:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_3330,h_1873\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F20%2F01k2j7d3b4yq10t7xbxm.jpg 2x, \n    https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_3330,h_1873\/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F20%2F01k2j7d3b4yq10t7xbxm.jpg 3x\" media=\"(max-width: 719px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_3330,h_1873\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F20%2F01k2j7d3b4yq10t7xbxm.jpg 1x, \nhttps:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_3330,h_1873\/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F20%2F01k2j7d3b4yq10t7xbxm.jpg 2x, \n    https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_3330,h_1873\/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F20%2F01k2j7d3b4yq10t7xbxm.jpg 3x\" media=\"(max-width: 1079px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_3330,h_1873\/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F20%2F01k2j7d3b4yq10t7xbxm.jpg 1x, \nhttps:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_3330,h_1873\/c_fill,w_2160,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F20%2F01k2j7d3b4yq10t7xbxm.jpg 2x,\n    https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_3330,h_1873\/c_fill,w_2160,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F20%2F01k2j7d3b4yq10t7xbxm.jpg 3x\" media=\"(min-width: 1080px)\" \/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"undefined w-full w-full\" title=\"Oklahoma City Thunder v Los Angeles Lakers\" src=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_3330,h_1873\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images\/GettyImages\/mmsport\/20\/01k2j7d3b4yq10t7xbxm.jpg\" alt=\"Oklahoma City Thunder v Los Angeles Lakers\" width=\"3330\" height=\"1873\" \/><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"flex items-center gap-4 ml-1 pb-2 mt-4 md:m-3 text-darkGrey font-group-tiny\">\n<div class=\"flex items-center gap-4 ml-1 pb-2 mt-4 md:m-3 text-darkGrey font-group-tiny\"><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption>Oklahoma City Thunder v Los Angeles Lakers | Kevork Djansezian\/GettyImages<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"article-body\" class=\"flex flex-wrap justify-center lg:justify-normal\">\n<div class=\"flex lg:mr-4 lg:w-[calc(70%-3em)] max-w-full\"><main class=\"min-w-0 flex-1\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"viewablity-block\">\n<div class=\"article-content\">\n<p id=\"inline-text-0\" class=\"mt-[18px] md:mt-0 mb-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">The Los Angeles Lakers have built a roster with depth, talent, star power, and an innovative head coach who has something to prove. Having already won 50 games in 2024-25, there&#8217;s ample reason to believe the Lakers can build upon their success in 2025-26.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-1\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">If the past three NBA champions have proven anything, however, it&#8217;s that Los Angeles will have a self-imposed ceiling until extension-eligible rising star Austin Reaves improves defensively.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-2\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">Reaves has made remarkable progress in just four seasons, evolving from an undrafted free agent fighting to secure a roster spot into a borderline All-Star. In 2024-25, he averaged 20.2 points, 5.8 assists, 4.5 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 2.7 three-point field goals made on .460\/.377\/.877 shooting.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-3\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">Reaves was one of eight qualified players to average at least 20.0 points, 5.0 assists, and 2.5 three-point field goals made. The others: Stephen Curry, Darius Garland, James Harden, Tyler Herro, Donovan Mitchell, Jayson Tatum, and Trae Young.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-4\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">That All-Star company epitomizes the appeal of what Reaves brings to the table\u2014and why the Lakers are likely to re-sign or extend him. It&#8217;s hard to blame them, as the 27-year-old managed this production while playing alongside the likes of Anthony Davis, Luka Doncic, and LeBron James.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-5\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">Unfortunately, the past three NBA champions have proven an unavoidable point: Teams can&#8217;t win a title if their shooting guards are unreliable on defense.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"inline-text-6\" class=\"scroll-mt-24 my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">Past three NBA champions all had high-level defenders at shooting guard<\/h2>\n<p id=\"inline-text-7\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">The 2024-25 NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder complemented MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with a trio of tremendous defenders at the 2-spot: Alex Caruso, Luguentz Dort, and Jalen Williams. Los Angeles may not be able to create that type of depth overnight, but it&#8217;s a standard-setting truth\u2014one which Williams best epitomizes.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-8\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">Williams is in a remarkably similar position to Reaves, as he&#8217;s tasked with scoring and facilitating at star-caliber levels alongside a high-volume superstar\u2014and yet, he must still defend proficiently.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-9\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">It&#8217;s not just Williams and the Thunder who have provided the blueprint for championship glory. In 2023-24, the Boston Celtics won a title with a three-headed defensive monster of their own at the loosely defined position of shooting guard in Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday, and Derrick White.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-10\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">Much like Williams, Brown was responsible for scoring upward of 20 points per game, creating for others, defending at a high level, and complementing an elite No. 1 scoring option in Jayson Tatum.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-11\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">The Denver Nuggets were a more extreme example of this truth, with former Lakers standout Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Christian Braun occupying the 2-spot. Both were tasked with defending alongside a high-volume scoring guard in Jamal Murray, as well as the offensive-minded Nikola Jokic. Even Murray, known more for his offense, stepped up defensively to complement Jokic.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-12\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">In no way are Doncic, Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic, and Tatum carbon copies of one another, but they&#8217;re all arguable top-five players who command a heavy share of touches and benefit from defensive support.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-13\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">Reaves doesn&#8217;t need to produce All-Defense selections, but if he can&#8217;t at least match the level Murray reached on defense, the Lakers will struggle to win a title. The bare minimum is erasing his reputation as a player who opposing scorers can isolate, with the rest ideally growing from there.<\/p>\n<p>In the meantime, it will be difficult for the Lakers to justify\u00a0handing Reaves a lucrative contract extension if he can&#8217;t match the defensive quality of the supporting guards who have won championships over the past three seasons.<\/p>\n<p>Whether fair or foul, the standard has been set and he must find a way to live up to it if the Lakers are going\u00a0to help Doncic win\u00a0an elusive championship.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/main><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Past 3 NBA champions proved Lakers can&#8217;t re-sign Austin Reaves if this issue persists If Austin Reaves can&#8217;t step up on defense, then history will prevent the&#8230; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":89338,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-89337","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.7 - 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