Former NBA player Chandler Parsons wasn’t a believer in Austin Reaves at first, but the Los Angeles Lakers guard has completely won him over now. Parsons admitted once again on Run It Back on FanDuel TV that he was wrong about Reaves, and he now wants him to be the Lakers’ second option on offense behind Luka Doncic and ahead of LeBron James when everyone is healthy.
“I think Austin Reaves is the second option even when LeBron James comes back,” Parsons said. “He’s a 41-year-old man. Again, he’s been great. He’s probably still going to be phenomenal. He’s still going to have his nights where he is insane.
“But if you’re looking at what this kid is doing and what they need on this roster, I think he’s the second option even when LeBron comes back,” Parsons continued. “And I think LeBron is probably okay with this at this point of his career.”
Co-hosts Michelle Beadle and DeMarcus Cousins weren’t sure that James would be all too happy about that. Parsons, though, doubled down on that take by making quite a bold claim.
“At the end of the season. I think Austin Reaves’ numbers will be better than LeBron James’ numbers,” Parsons stated. “… How many minutes is LeBron James going to play? How many games is he going to play? Like this guy’s going to be hopefully knocking wood consistent throughout the whole season.”
That is indeed uncertain at this point. James is yet to play this season as he is recovering from sciatica. The 40-year-old is only expected to be ready to play in the second or third week of November. Is this just a one-off, or is James going to be in and out of the lineup for much of this season? Only time will tell.
If James does end up missing a significant amount of time, then there is a chance that Reaves puts up better numbers than him. The 27-year-old is currently averaging 34.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 10.0 assists, and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 52.5% from the field.
Now, you’d expect Reaves’ averages to come down when Doncic returns, but the drop might not be as significant as one might think. He averaged 25.5 points and 10.0 assists over the opening two games when the Slovenian was healthy. If Reaves is putting up comparable numbers for long stretches because James can’t stay healthy, then Parsons’ prediction could end up being on point.
That’s a bold statement, but this really is just coming down to James’ health. If he ends up playing over 50 games or so, then his numbers will be better than Reaves’. The 21-time All-Star averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 8.2 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game in 2024-25, and made the All-NBA Second Team. He was playing at a very high level.
James’ numbers might drop a little bit this time around as he is older, but Doncic and Reaves’ presence will ensure defenses aren’t able to focus on him as much as they did over the years. The two guards will make life a bit easier for him on the court.
Getting back to Reaves, it speaks to just how impressive he has been that someone like Parsons, who played nine seasons in the NBA, is making such claims about him. The 37-year-old also thinks the guard is going to be an All-Star in 2026 at this rate.
“He’s gonna be an All-Star,” Parsons stated. “… If he’s averaging close to this, 1,000 percent.”
Richard Jefferson, another former NBA player, isn’t so sure about Reaves becoming an All-Star. You might have given him a good chance if he were in the East, but he is in the West. James is going to have to miss a big chunk of the first half of the season for Reaves to be in the running.
We don’t know if that will happen, but what we do know is that James isn’t playing anytime soon. So, you should expect another masterclass from Reaves when the Lakers take on the Memphis Grizzlies in the Emirates NBA Cup at the FedExForum on Friday at 9:30 PM ET.
