Austin Reaves was the star of the show as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Sacramento Kings 127-120 at the Golden 1 Center on Sunday. The Lakers seemed to be in a bit of trouble entering the contest as they were without Luka Doncic and LeBron James, but Reaves spectacularly rose to the occasion with his first-ever 50-point game in the NBA.
This was the third game that Reaves had played without Doncic and James since the Slovenian was traded to the Lakers in February 2025, and you’d be shocked by how well he has done in their absence.
Reaves vs. Indiana Pacers on Feb. 8: 45 points (14-26 FG), seven rebounds, seven assists, and three steals
Reaves vs. Denver Nuggets on March 14: 37 points (13-26 FG), eight rebounds, 13 assists, and four steals
Reaves vs. Sacramento Kings on Oct. 26: 51 points (12-22 FG), 11 rebounds, nine assists, and two steals
You’re looking at ridiculous averages of 44.3 points, 8.6 rebounds, 9.6 assists, and three steals per game there. Reaves wasn’t just chucking up shots either, as he shot an efficient 52.7% from the field in those games.
Now, one might try to diminish the performance against the Kings because they aren’t a particularly good team, but the same can’t be said about the other two.
The Indiana Pacers went to the NBA Finals in 2025, while the Denver Nuggets took the Oklahoma City Thunder, the eventual champions, to seven games in the Western Conference Semifinals. They were two of the best teams in the league last season, and Reaves dazzled against both of them.
Reaves was hailed as one of the best third options in the NBA last season, and you now start to wonder just how effective he can be if given a bigger role in the offense. This is a small sample size, but there is reason to believe we might then see the 27-year-old emerge as a bona fide star.
With Doncic set to miss at least a week and James seemingly not yet close to a return, we’ll get to see Reaves be the first option for the Lakers for a little while longer. It’s likely that the scoring average drops below 40 by the time Doncic returns, but if he puts up about 30 a night in these coming games, then you’d have to start believing that he has been “held back” by being the third option.
While Reaves will remain in this role when the Lakers are relatively healthy this season, that might change in a year. James will be a free agent in 2026, and there is some doubt about whether the team wants him back. If Reaves continues to shine, they might just be comfortable letting the 21-time All-Star go. This would also mean a big payday for the guard, though.
Reaves can become a free agent in 2026 by opting out of his $14.9 million player option for 2026-27. There was talk in the offseason about him landing a deal worth over $40 million a year in free agency, and that could well prove to be a fair asking price. If the Lakers are unwilling to give Reaves that deal, some other team could well pounce and snatch him away.
It’s incredible to think that we could potentially have a bidding war over a man whom the Lakers signed as an undrafted free agent in 2021. Reaves wasn’t supposed to be this good, and it’s a testament to his work ethic. He is just the fourth undrafted player to score 50 points in a game in NBA history and also the fifth Laker to do so in the 21st century.
Reaves will get his next chance to impress when the Lakers take on the Portland Trail Blazers at Crypto.com Arena on Monday at 10:30 PM ET.
