Los Angeles, CA – March 19: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers high fives teammate Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers after a three point basket against the Denver Nuggets in the first half of a NBA basketball game at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images)
MediaNews Group via Getty Images
The Los Angeles Lakers have had an odd start to the season, first with LeBron James being sidelined, followed by Luka Dončić scoring 92 points over the first two games, then going down himself, and finally Austin Reaves popping for 51 points in their absence.
And, let’s exhale.
That’s a big mouthful for the Lakers, who have had to adjust accordingly, and on the fly, with key guys missing from the rotation.
Outside of health, another element has popped up, which seems – on its surface – challenging.
Can Dončić and Reaves exist together?
There’s no question who the best player on the team is, with Dončić firmly sitting in that spot, and Reaves following suit with James still out.
However, there’s a sense of overlap in their game, which appears to difficult to build around, when they’re on the floor together.
Reaves, often pegged as a spot-up shooter, is anything but. He’s a ball-handler and creator, who initiates pick and roll action, using his playmaking and scoring capabilities to affect the game.
Sounds remarkably similar to that of Dončić, doesn’t it?
This presents head coach JJ Redick with a challenge of how to maximize their output when the duo is sharing the floor.
Mind you, this is indeed a luxury problem to have, as both are playing high-end All-Star caliber basketball, and both have capabilities that most teams are in need of.
There doesn’t seem to be much overarching concern between the fit, but given that Reaves is on a deal that he would never extend – given the limitations of the 140% extension cap – the Lakers are in a position where they might need to be proactive, and that means every detail matters.
Building around Dončić
These games, with Dončić and James out, and Reaves as the primary option, will help give the Lakers plenty of data on how they evaluate Reaves.
Even if 27-year-old isn’t the optimal long-term solution next to Dončić, his production could, theoretically, turn out to be of such quality, that the Lakers will have to gamble, thus avoiding any trade, and going into the summer to retain him, perhaps with the idea of finding a better fit for Dončić down the line.
That is, of course, unless Redick builds a system wherein either Dončić or Reaves become more a threat off the ball, allowing them to grow together as a unit.
Make no mistake, Dončić is the priority. That won’t change. Presumably, if Deandre Ayton doesn’t cement his position as the long-term center, the Lakers will almost have to look outside the organization for help, and likely use players of certain value to help align the roster to provide Dončić with off-ball players, who can flourish next to him.
Can Reaves end up flourishing in such a role? Time will tell.
Unless noted otherwise, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball-Reference. All salary information via Spotrac. All odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/mortenjensen/2025/10/28/can-luka-doni-and-austin-reaves-dominate-at-the-same-time/
