While Luka Doncic and LeBron James have yet to suit up this preseason, and the latter won’t at all, the other Los Angeles Lakers players have gotten the opportunity to build chemistry together.
That includes Austin Reaves and Deandre Ayton, who have looked good together this preseason in the pick-and-roll.
After Sunday night’s win over the Golden State Warriors, Reaves spoke about what he’s been seeing from Ayton and how important he will be to this Lakers team.
“Just how much skill he has,” Reaves said of what he’s noticed about Ayton. “People forget about when he was in Phoenix and how dominant he was there and how he was one of the biggest reasons that team made it to the Finals that year. Talent is high, he can play in the pick-and-roll, protect the rim. So we need that. We need him to flourish in that role.”
Reaves also discussed what the chemistry building process has been like, particularly in the pick-and-roll.
“I think those things just grow throughout reps, and that’s kind of what we’re trying to do in preseason,” he said. “Get those reps. I’m not sitting there thinking about it in the moment, if I can go by my guy I’m gonna go by him and if not and I need a screen then I’ll have him come screen. It’s been fun to get to play alongside him in that pick-and-roll.”
Ayton has a big personality and that has caused to him wearing out his welcome with his previous teams. Reaves has enjoyed getting to know the big man though and knows he will be a key piece for L.A.
“He’s gonna have a lot of responsibility this year for things that we want to do and if we want to be as good as we think we’re gonna be, we need him to be at his best self,” Reaves said.
“Whatever that looks like, we all got personalities in here and we just gotta continue to gel those, learn things about one another, connect off the court and just have genuine relationships. Because once you have that and you look around the locker room and you know that guy will go to war with me, that guy will go to war with me. So if you get that feeling then every time you step on the court, it’s not about me, it’s about us and how we can get a win that night.”
The Lakers essentially ended last season without a center, so even though Ayton’s career has largely been a disappointment after being drafted first overall, he represents a significant frontcourt upgrade for L.A.
Lakers guard Austin Reaves avoided injury
In the third quarter of the Lakers’ win over the Warriors, Austin Reaves appeared to injure his leg and came out of the game. Luckily though, he avoided injury as Reaves said he was feeling good when he spoke to the media after the win.
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