Way too early prediction for the Lakers 2023-24 starting lineup

Shooting Guard: Austin Reaves

Unlike Russell, Reaves was absolute aces for the Lakers in the playoffs. He averaged 16.9 points on .464/.443/.895 splits across three rounds of competition. Reaves’ late-season surge cemented him as the secondary creator and competent guard defender the Lakers have been searching for to complement LeBron in the Lakers’ backcourt.

The only hang-up here is Reaves’ looming free agency. He is going to get a massive offer sheet from someone, which could complicate the Lakers’ finances in advance of the new CBA. The Lakers, however, have made clear their desire to keep Reaves and the young core together. He’s a good enough basketball player to warrant a potential $100 million investment and, as a restricted free agent, any contract Reaves signs can be matched by the Lakers.

Depending on Reaves’ summer haul, the Lakers could decide to let the aforementioned Russell walk in favor of cheaper stopgap options at point guard, a la Dennis Schroder. The front office would probably like to have both, however. Reaves is a crafty downhill scorer with a real penchant for drawing fouls at the rim, but he’s still best suited to off-ball duties, spacing the floor and attacking a rotating defense off the catch.

The Lakers’ bridge to a post-LeBron/Davis future starts with Reaves. He can play lead ball-handler and rack up double-digit assists when asked to, but more importantly, he’s a culture-setter who competes hard and plays winning basketball. He’s already 25 years old, so there’s no great untapped potential lurking beneath the surface, but Reaves is already very good. The Lakers should do everything within reason to keep him around.