Hall of Famer Manu Ginobili did not just come off the bench because he was not good enough to start, he did it because the San Antonio Spurs were better when he led the second unit. The Los Angeles Lakers now have a similar opportunity with Austin Reaves, and Marcus Smart’s arrival is what makes it all possible.
Last season proved what Reaves is capable of doing. He was creative in playmaking, tough shot-making, and having steady poise in big moments.
But alongside two high-usage stars like Luka Doncic and LeBron James, touches at times were limited, and his role often shrunk into off-ball spacing duty.