Lakers News: Insider Thinks Austin Reaves Will Take Another Huge Leap This Year

He needs to step up this season.

Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Austin Reaves was one of the better stories in the NBA last season, and the leap that he took saw him earn a brand-new four-year contract this offseason. He became a relied-upon member of the team in the last part of the season, and LA couldn’t let him just walk away this summer.

Reaves is now the third-best player on the Lakers, so the expectations for him have grown even stronger. But he seems ready for the challenge, and LA is very high on his overall upside.

Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix appeared on The Rich Eisen Show recently, and weighed in on how he expects Austin Reaves to perform this year.

“Austin Reaves after the trade that sent Russell Westbrook out or yeah the trade, he averaged like 17-18 points per game from then so like I think that’s going to be a continuation off last year. He’s going to get the same kind of role in that rotation.”

Per Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated, via

The Rich Eisen Show

Reaves' growth over the last year has been a key element to the Lakers success on the court. He has helped them unlock their offense, and this season he will be playing more with the ball in his hands.

The team saw how effective having him run things was during their playoff run, and they want to maximize that again this year. The young guard showed that he wasn’t afraid of the pressure of the playoffs, and in fact, he got even better as time went on.

His ability to not shy from the pressure allows this team to have trust in him down the stretch of games, which is a great thing. Now he has the experience from last season to take from, plus the experience from playing for Team USA this summer, and that should bode well for him moving forward.

The Lakers believe that he can take another step this season, and if he can, the sky is the limit for Los Angeles. He may be one of the more important members on this roster, so it’s time for him to really step it up this year.

Are you following us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube or LA Sports Report yet? Join the conversation as we discuss the latest Lakers news and rumors with fans like you!