Adding some more flavor to an already delicious dish of Los Angeles Lakers preseason storylines is Austin Reaves’ quads.
Reaves, 28, was one of the highlights of the Lakers offseason. He signed a four-year, roughly $180 million contract, locking him in as Luka Doncic’s long-term backcourt partner. That deal surely adds to the pressure on Reaves’ shoulders next season, but he was already in the line of fire, if you will, once LeBron James left the franchise. Reaves is now the clear-cut second option on the roster, if he wasn’t already last season.
There has been some chatter among Lakers fans about Reaves’ alleged offseason transformation. No one — not even those crazed Lakers fans who see nothing but stars and roses when discussing their team — is making Reaves out to be the second coming of Arnold Schwarzenegger, but we are now learning that Reaves indeed has packed on some pounds this offseason (and not the ones you get from having donuts with your coffee in the morning).
Reaves Adding Weight is Exciting News for the Lakers
Make no mistake. The Lakers are expected to compete for a championship this season. And for that to happen (and then some), Reaves needs to be at his best, perhaps a level he has not reached in his soon-to-be six years in the NBA. It seems, though, that he is up for the task. On Tuesday, Lakers reporter Jovan Buha revealed that Reaves has put on some muscle this offseason.
“I can confirm, Austin looks like he has put on some muscle,” Buha said. “… I will ask Austin about how much muscle and weight he has put on, but I would guess somewhere between the 8-10 pound range. So, I can confirm Austin looks like he has filled out a bit. That is the update on his quads. I noticed it more with his arms; he just looks a bit stronger.”
Now, does this mean Reaves will suddenly start going LeBron-esque by putting his head down and plowing defenders out of the way on drives to the basket? Probably not. But getting stronger is an essential part of any player’s development, and it often plays a significant role in making a very good player and elite one.
Reaves is coming off his best scoring season while registering efficient shooting splits. It is safe to say the Lakers will need that and a whole lot more if they want to stay neck-and-neck with the big guns in the Western Conference.
Reaves Caught Eyes This Summer
The buzz about Reaves’ weight gain started to pick up when the Lakers’ official X account posted a photo of Reaves working out in the team facility. Some fans noticed Reaves’ improved physique. And while there was a playful nature to the debate about how big Reaves’ quads and legs have gotten, there was some seriousness to that tone.
“I think it looks like Austin has been in the gym. I think there is a difference,” Lakers analyst Trevor Lane said when comparing that photo of Reaves to an older one. “What could this ultimately mean for the Lakers? This is a good thing for a player that the Lakers just spent a lot of money on in order to retain him in free agency. … Let’s say Austin Reaves has, indeed, put on a muscle. How is that going to help him if he’s gone from Austin, the guy that we see out there on the golf course all the time, and he still golfs plenty, to this guy now that looks significantly sturdier.”
Now, for the Lakers’ sake, let’s hope Reaves plays as strong as those handsome new quads look. (O.K., now maybe that’s taking it a bit too far.)
Lakers Get Great News as Newly-Signed 23 PPG Star Flexes ’10 lbs’ Muscle Gain