The Lakers are betting on Austin Reaves’ on-ball leap

By trading away D’Angelo Russell, the Lakers are putting a signifcant amount of responsibilty and trust in Austin Reaves’ hands.

After nearly two years of dust settling on Rob Pelinka’s phone, the Lakers have finally made a trade. On Sunday, the team dealt away D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis and three second-round picks to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Dorrian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton.

Although the deal's parameters and the players involved were not entirely surprising, the move represents a notable identity shift for Los Angeles.

For all his erraticism and postseason shortcomings, Russell had been a useful — and underrated — ball-handling/playmaking release valve during his second tenure with the team.

Finney-Smith, on the other hand, couldn’t be more different. If you look up the definition of 3-and-D in the basketball dictionary, Finney-Smith’s face would be etched amongst the modern-day Mount Rushmore of blue-collar floor-spacers. He gets his hands dirty, is dependable and offers a baseline level of grit absent from the team in recent years.

He does not, however, replace any of the guard skills or offensive juice that Russell is taking with him out the door.

Barring another move then — which reportedly won’t be coming anytime soon — the Lakers will have to look in-house for someone to fill Russell’s void. The most likely and capable option is Austin Reaves, a role that he and the team may have been preparing for far before this trade.

Before the season, JJ Redick mentioned one of his points of emphasis was to add to Reaves’ “circle” and to make his bag a “little bit bigger.”

To achieve this, Russell had to take a backseat. His usage rate plummeted, he was slotted away from the action, and eventually, he nestled into a sixth-man role. Whether this was by design or not, this thrust Reaves as the team’s secondary creator this season and, on some nights, even as the primary.

“He’s been on the ball for us since the ninth game of the season,” Redick said after Monday’s practice. “So this is something we’ve seen a lot of, feel very comfortable with it.”

Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Although an eventual Russell trade was likely always bound to happen, Reaves not only surviving but thriving during his baptism by fire likely cemented his and Russell’s fates.

In the last seven games as the Lakers’ main backcourt shot-creator, Reaves is averaging 20.3 points and 7.4 assists on 59.5% true shooting.

This span has also featured highlights such as a triple-double and game-winner against the Golden State Warriors on Christmas Day and arguably reached its peak in the team’s recent 132-122 win over the Sacramento Kings, where Reaves dropped 26 points and a career-high 16 assists with LeBron James out of action.

“I don’t think that tonight is an aberration for what he can do when we’re fully healthy,” Redick said about Reaves after the win. “I don’t view it that way. I think he is going to naturally take the second- or third-most shots most nights. I think he’s naturally going to have the ball. He is the primary handler.”

If it wasn’t clear already, the trade has crystalized how the coaching staff and front office view Reaves’ outlook as an on-ball weapon. And so far, Reaves is rewarding that trust.

The raw numbers have been impressive since the shift, but what’s arguably more encouraging is that he’s accompanying increased offensive responsibility with a more nuanced on-ball technique.

Before Russell’s move to the bench, Reaves posted a usage rate of 22.3% and an assist rate of 21.2%. Since then, his usage has jumped by 3.3% and his assist numbers have jumped a staggering 8.6%

Beyond soaking up more on-ball reps, Reaves is also simply getting the ball more. He’s averaging 12 more touches per game during this same span and has seen jumps in his average time and dribbles per possession, according to the league’s tracking data.

Despite the sizable upticks across the board, Reaves hasn’t seen much slippage in his efficiency numbers and has more than looked the part as the team’s “point guard.”

Reaves showcased he could manipulate the defense as the main engine against Sacramento. By rejecting screens, changing speeds and being aggressive when the time called for it, he created cracks in the Kings’ armor through his sword-wielding.

He was also brilliant from a playmaking perspective. He rifled skip passes around the court, ran pick-and-rolls like a 10-year vet and recognized various defensive coverages before they even lined up.

For one night, Reaves showed everything possible, what is still a mystery and why the growing pains along the way may be worth it. The latter, in particular, should be an expected part of this process.

Despite his strong play, there is ultimately still a lot of risk in relying on Reaves to be the team’s sole perimeter creator outside of James. Gabe Vincent is still on the roster but is more of a serviceable foot solider than a floor general. This is where Russell’s value and presence will likely be missed most.

Without that safety blanket, the Lakers may not be able to afford a sloppy outing from Reaves like they have had in the past.

He is still vulnerable against shifty, physical defenders who can exploit his sometimes loose dribble. He also has a knack for errant decision-making, both as a scorer and passer. This was exemplified in his six-turnover performance against the Detroit Pistons.

Reaves has also struggled with fatigue in the past, most notably in his legs, where he’s been prone to going through dry spells with his shooting.

This is likely why, in every season since Russell’s arrival, Reaves has posted a better true-shooting percentage next to the guard than off. How he handles the additional workload for the remainder of the year and into the playoffs could prove critical to the team’s odds.

Given the new-look roster and the uncertainty the front office swings a trade for another notable on-ball guard, the Lakers have essentially pushed their chips in on Reaves’ recent play not being a mirage. And even on him making even another leap.

The flashes have been there to warrant the confidence. But so have warts that should at least raise some skepticism if Reaves’ optimized role is as a lead guard — especially on a team with title aspirations.

However, by making this trade as early as they have, the Lakers have at least given themselves some time to evaluate how Reaves and the rest of the roster fare between now and the trade deadline before tinkering again.

But at some point, Reaves and the team must decide whether they agree on what his future in Los Angeles looks like and to what degree it involves the ball in his hands.

All stats courtesy of Cleaning the Glass unless otherwise stated. You can follow Alex on Twitter at @AlexmRegla.