Lakers News: Austin Reaves Is Having One Of The Best Shooting Seasons In The League

This kid is for real.

It turns out your Los Angeles Lakers' newly-minted starting shooting guard isn't just a pretty solid shooter -- he's actually been one of the top shooters in the NBA this year!

Second-year swingman Austin Reaves, still just 24, is peaking at just the right time this season. He's emerged as a no-brainer starter for LA, just a few months ahead of hitting restricted free agency.

Per Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report, Reaves ranks fifth in true shooting percentage (67.7%) among all players averaging at least 12 points a night.

This is wild. Top five in true shooting percentage among players averaging at least 12 points per game...

1. Nikola Jokić (70.5)
2. Nic Claxton (68.9)
3. Kevin Durant (68.1)
4. Rudy Gobert (67.9)
5. Austin Reaves (67.7) https://t.co/zXk0sJrUky

— Andy Bailey (@AndrewDBailey) March 23, 2023

Across 55 games (13 starts), he's averaging a career-most 12.3 points on .520/.383/.858 shooting splits, 3.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 0.6 steals per game.

In his last 10 games, however, the 6'5" wing has been even better, logging 18.4 points, 5.8 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 0.6 steals a night in 29.6 minutes per. A career-high 35-point explosion Sunday night in a win against the Orlando Magic and a 25-point, 11-assist evening Wednesday in a victory against the Phoenix Suns helped goose those numbers.

We knew Reaves was a solid shooter. But this stat helps crystallize the fact that he's been an elite shooter this year. Currently earning a minimum contract, it appears Reaves is in line for a pay bump that should compensate him to the tune of eight figures annually.

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