NBA
Lakers’ Austin Reaves is building an all-star-worthy resume early in the year
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated2 hours ago on October 30, 2025
Five games into the 2025-26 season, the Los Angeles Lakers are 3-2. The team is coming off a narrow 116-115 win on Wednesday evening vs. the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Austin Reaves led the team with 28 points and 40 minutes played on Wednesday. Additionally, the 27-year-old hit a true buzzer-beater vs. the Timberwolves to lift the Lakers to a win. Through five games, Austin Reaves is carrying Los Angeles offensively. If he continues playing at this level, Reaves could be in for his first all-star selection in 2025-26.
Austin Reaves has been a legitimate two-way threat for the Lakers
AUSTIN REAVES GAME WINNER pic.twitter.com/zI5IG9eMPG
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 30, 2025
Against the Timberwolves on Wednesday, the Lakers were without their top two players. LeBron James and Luka Doncic were unavailable due to injury. However, the team did have Austin Reaves vs. Minnesota. To begin the 2025-26 season, Reaves is off to a hot start for the Lakers. He’s scored at least 25 points in all five of his games this season. Additionally, he recorded a new career-high of 51 points this past Sunday vs. the Kings. Through five games in 2025-26, Austin Reaves is averaging 34.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 10.0 assists, and 1.8 steals per game.
Without LeBron James and Luka Doncic on Wednesday, Austin Reaves shouldered the scoring and playmaking duties for Los Angeles. He ended the game with 28 points and a career-high 16 assists. Reaves was determined to do whatever it took to get the Lakers a win. While his efficiency was off against the Timberwolves, there was no doubt that Reaves would take the final shot.
AUSTIN REAVES. ALL STAR. pic.twitter.com/f8Vrbv0HcH
— Lakers Empire (@LakersEmpire) October 30, 2025
Los Angeles was down 115-114 to the Timberwolves with 6.6 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Austin Reaves worked his way through the defense and was able to make a floater as time expired on Wednesday. Los Angeles won 116-115 thanks to the clutch shot from Reaves at the end of regulation. Through five games in 2025-26, Austin Reaves is putting together an all-star-worthy resume for the Lakers.
During the 2025-26 season, Austin Reaves is playing on an expiring $13.9 million contract. That’s an absolute steal for the production Los Angeles is getting from the undrafted pro. Reaves is expected to decline his 2026-27 player option for a massive long-term deal. The 27-year-old has proved how valuable he is to the franchise, and the Lakers cannot afford to let Reaves walk. They need his production moving forward. It’s only a matter of time until he signs a long-term deal with Los Angeles.
