ESPN well-known reporter: In order to strengthen the lineup, the Lakers will definitely send Reeves away this summer

The well-known ESPN reporter Bill Simmons once again talked about the situation of Los Angeles Lakers backcourt star Austin Reaves in his podcast show. Simmons is convinced that the Lakers will send Reeves away, and in his opinion, this is basically a foregone conclusion.

Simmons said: I think Reeves will definitely be traded this summer, and I am completely willing to take a gamble for this. I think the Lakers will turn him into a more valuable asset. This is the most reasonable choice for the Lakers and himself. If the Lakers use LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Reeves as the team's top three core characters, then one thing is certain, you cannot win four rounds of the playoffs in a row. The Lakers' lineup currently has many flaws. They need to trade Reeves and exchange for a reliable center so that the team can find a balance in this regard. They will be more competitive in the lineup and they will be closer to a championship team.

In the NBA regular season this season, Reeves played 73 games in 82 games, averaging 34.9 minutes per game, averaging 20.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.3 blocks, and 2.4 turnovers and 2.1 fouls, shooting percentage of 46%, three-point shooting percentage of 37.7%, and free throw shooting percentage of 87.7%. During the playoffs, Reeves made a total of 5 appearances, averaging 39.3 minutes per game, with averaging 16.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 0.2 steals, and 0.6 blocks. He also had 2.8 turnovers and 3.6 fouls. His shooting percentage was 41.1%, three-point shooting percentage was 31.9%, and his free throw shooting percentage was 85.7%.

Reeves performed well in the regular season. No matter what stage it was, no matter who the backcourt partner was, Reeves was able to play his role and assume a lot of responsibilities. He seemed to have made great progress in scoring and organization. However, in the playoffs, the situation also changed significantly. His offensive efficiency was a mess, his three-point shooting percentage was terrible, and his performance in passing and organizing offense also showed a significant decline. The most important thing is that Reeves' characteristics are highly consistent with Luka Doncic, and his effect on the court is also somewhat repetitive. The most important thing is that Reeves is also the player with the highest trading value in the Lakers lineup, and the trading value of other players except him is far less than that of him. In this case, it is indeed difficult for the Lakers to improve the team's competitiveness if they don't send Reeves away.