A Los Angeles Lakers offseason investment has already landed Austin Reaves in an uncomfortable spotlight.
Heading into the 2026-27 season, Reaves was named one of the NBA’s most overrated players by Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley, a label that comes just after the Lakers handed him an enormous contract this summer. Buckley’s case was blunt: Reaves may be a strong player, but the production doesn’t quite match the star-level billing or the pay grade.
“Here's the counter: Reaves is regarded (and now compensated) as a full-fledged star, but his production just doesn't paint him with that kind of brightness. He reads more like a good-to-very-good offensive player, and once that gets coupled with his disastrous defense, it adds up more to a strong support piece than an actual building block,” Buckley wrote.
Buckley also pointed to Reaves’ postseason track record as part of the concern.
“. . . Reaves' playoff tests have been rocky, too (40.9 percent shooting overall, 29.3 percent from range his last two trips). It really makes you question his ability to fill the sidekick role on a contender, which is exactly what the Lakers need and expect from him after exhausting their asset collection this summer.”
Reaves now has a chance to prove the Lakers made the right bet, but the pressure is obvious. With LeBron James now gone, Los Angeles needs Reaves to grow into a legitimate No. 2 option next to Luka Doncic. If that doesn’t happen, the Lakers could be in trouble.
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