Austin Reaves‘ tremendous form continued on Wednesday night as he stepped up to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a much-needed 116-115 win against the Minnesota Timberwolves. With a team-high 28 points and a tied career-high of 16 assists, Reaves was unstoppable.
One of the highlights of the game was in the closing moments, when Austin Reaves threw up a game-winning shot while being guarded by Rudy Gobert and Donte DiVincenzo. While acknowledging the shot on Spectrum SportsNet, seven-time NBA champion Robert Horry made an interesting observation.
“That’s his go-to move,” Horry began. “What’s really incredible is, if you really look at his shot- he’s right-handed, right? He shot that off his right leg. So his floater is just that potent that he can shoot it off either leg, and that takes some talent.”
Horry continued to expand upon how Reaves’ skill tends to compensate for his lack of athleticism. In praising the 27-year-old, Horry, who also made a name for knocking down clutch game-winners, set some huge expectations for Reaves, as he claimed, “He might be the next logo.”
The “Logo” typically refers to Los Angeles Lakers legend Jerry West, who earned the reputation of being a gifted offensive player and one of the most clutch performers of his era.
With Reaves gradually developing into a star in the absence of Luka Doncic and LeBron James, Horry’s statement sets out some big shoes to fill for the 27-year-old.
Robert Horry Seems To Have Shifted His Stance On Austin Reaves
Robert Horry’s current take on Austin Reaves is extremely promising. Given the fact that he is averaging 34.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 10.0 assists on 52.5% shooting overall, with 38.5% from three-point range, it is safe to say that the guard earned this praise.
However, it is worth noting that this is also a drastic shift in narrative by the seven-time NBA champion.
In September, as the Lakers were ramping up their activities for the offseason to prepare for training camp and the upcoming preseason, Horry suggested that the Purple and Gold needed to trade Reaves in 2026.
Reaves has frequently been mentioned in trade rumors this summer. This has primarily been attributed to his decision to decline the team’s extension offer in pursuit of a better deal. Regardless, several have opted for a different narrative by stating that the guard simply isn’t a solid third scoring option.
Reports have indicated that Austin Reaves is one of the Lakers’ most valuable trade assets due to his team-friendly contract and immense potential. While trading the 27-year-old could help Los Angeles acquire some relevant assets to remain competitive, it may not be in the team’s best interests.
Austin Reaves’ current form has demonstrated how valuable he could be to the team. With Reaves growing in stature as a star in the league, the Lakers will hope to see him sustain this form as they head into their first NBA Cup matchup of the season, coming up against the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, Oct. 31, at 9:30 p.m. ET.
