The Los Angeles Lakers will be without LeBron James for the next 3-4 weeks.
LeBron James will be sidelined due to sciatica on his right side and LeBron has already been ruled out for the Los Angeles Lakers season opener against the Golden State Warriors.
The Lakers will now lean on Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves to carry the load while James is out.
Reaves should have a big season as he enters a contract year and is looking to secure a big payday.
Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty ImagesEvan Turner says Austin Reaves ‘can’t be your third best’ player when it comes to winning an NBA title
When the Lakers are at full strength Reaves is projected to be the third option behind Doncic and James.
While Reaves had shown he can play at a high level with his ability to score, former NBA player Evan Turner questioned if he can be the third best player on a championship team.
He discussed this with Chris Mannix on the Open Floor Podcast.
“You have Austin Reaves, he’s very talented, but if you’re talking championship aspirations, that can’t be your third best.
“There has to be a secret weapon or a six man killer.”
“I think there is a question about the fit of Austin Reaves with Luka Doncic there handling the ball as much as he is,” Chris Mannix added.
Evan Turner hopes Deandre Ayton can show up ‘mentally’
Los Angeles is one of the toughest markets to play as the expectations are always high.
Not only does Turner have his doubts about Reaves, but he also questioned if Deandre Ayton can stay mentally prepared during the season.
The Lakers are going to lean on Ayton a lot as their starting center and they will need him to be locked in on both ends of the floor.
“Hopefully mentally he can show up and be prepared for that, there’s much more than showing up, setting a screen and playing with the two best players in the world.”
There’s going to be a lot of pressure on the Lakers to produce this season.