Austin Reaves was a lock for his first All-Star selection last season before an ill-timed injury stripped him of the honor. Now, backed by a massive four-year, $185M extension with the Lakers, Reaves is primed to make his All-Star debut.
Lakers GM Rob Pelinka is equally confident his team will have at least two representatives at the 2027 All-Star Game in Phoenix: Luka Doncic and Reaves.
“One of the things we talked to Austin about is like, ‘what does it mean once you’re a max-level player?'” Pelinka said on Thursday, via X account Oh No He Didn’t. “‘What new responsibilities come your way with that leadership and showing others by example like how to get better?’
“So he’s got a whole tool chest of new things that he’s gotta improve on and work at to be a great leader,” Pelinka continued.
“That’s something he and I and JJ talked about. He embraces that challenge, and I think not only will we see continued growth in his basketball game, but I think we’ll see really strong growth in his leadership skills.”
Austin Reaves Predicted to be All-Star
Besides Pelinka, several media outlets have predicted that Reaves will make the All-Star Game. NBA.com’s Jed Katz predicts Reaves will enjoy a huge bump in his counting stats now that LeBron James has departed the Lakers, making him the clear No. 2 option.
“Reaves is proving to be one of the best undrafted players in recent history, due for a bigger role this year,” wrote Katz. “The 28-year-old most recently averaged 23.3 points, 5.5 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game before an oblique injury cut his regular season short.
“LeBron James departed from Los Angeles this offseason, but Reaves is now a firm second option next to Luka Dončić, which could lead to better fantasy nights and some massive scoring outbursts for High Score.”
Lakers Rely on Austin Reaves
ESPN also showed respect to Reaves by ranking him the 37th best player in the NBA — a huge bump from last year’s No. 60. Dave McMenamin wrote that Reaves earned his massive extension by virtue of his play in the first half of the season.
“Reaves’ dream season was cut short in April by an oblique injury that, paired with Luka Doncic’s hamstring strain, helped derail the Lakers’ postseason,” he wrote.
“He was still rewarded with a four-year, $180 million extension to stay in L.A. and build the next era with Doncic after LeBron James’ departure to the 76ers in free agency. The 6-5 combo guard has shown his ability to make plays for himself and others at a high level.
“The next step in him reaching All-Star status will be his continued improvement defensively and having health on his side like in 2023-24 when he played all 82 games.”
The Lakers and Austin Reaves kick off their new campaign with a home fixture against the Golden State Warriors on Oct. 21.
Lakers Get Great News on Austin Reaves Days Before New Season